Members: Jan Curious, Mike Orange, Yanyan Something, Les Hunter, Kitty Trouble
It’s early days yet, but we might just be the proud new owners of an art-rock band with international potential. Resplendently dressed in tight stovepipes and flamboyant pink shirts, four-piece Chochukmo know something about style – but they also leave plenty in the tank for substance.
Though they’ve been together as a band since 2005, the inventive and talented line-up have really come into their own this year, with strong performances at the Underground and Global Battle of the Bands particularly positioning them on top of the town’s indie rock heap. Their two tracks, Number One and Head to Toe, are the high points on the recently-released Underground compilation and demonstrate their eclectic range: in the space of just a few minutes, Chochukmo produce sounds veering from dub to punk to Latin-influenced rock.
“The most important thing for us is to be playful,” says bassist and back-up vocalist Yanyan Something. “We don’t have a professional structure for doing music – we’re really looking for fun.”
The band hope to release their debut EP in December.
Recommended listening: Number One and Head to Toe from the Underground compilation.
See www.myspace.com/chochukmo. Chochukmo play Y Rock at Cyberport on Nov 1.