Worldly Ska Hop

Jaqee, the latest foot soldier in the righteous war against vapid pop vixens, comes to us from Uganda by way of Sweden. Her July release, “Kokoo Girl,” is a reverent but playful blend of Ska, Reggae and Soul music with some bubblegummy tricks thrown into the mix for extra addictability and I can’t stop listening to it.

On the surface, the cover of “Kokoo Girl” belies the frequently serious tone of the music within (Jaqee's style incorporates just as much socially-conscious roots reggae as it does “Kokoo” pop) but after repeated listens, I recognized this goofy image as a very clever complement to its contents. Simultaneously self-effacing and empowering, the image depicts a coy Jaqee in antiquated garb smashing a cake into the face of a stiff-looking honky symbolizing her ability to avoid being pigeonholed, to use and subvert stereotype and, in the end, score a judo-esque deflection of the listener's preconception of what Jaqee should sound like.

That is to say, I expected “Kokoo Girl” to be not much more than a shallow romp and I was surprised by its worldly, impassioned perspective and delighted by its connection to roots Reggae and Ska. Not that there aren’t moments of pure bubblegum abandon- the titular track alone has enough for the whole album- but the real allure of this music is Jaqee's ability to maintain musical and idealistic gravity while infusing the proceedings with her bouncy, “Kokoo”style.

The balancing act is in full swing right from the get go with the opening track “Natty Dread” (not a Bob Marley cover) as gritty sounding horns blare minor key harmonies over a fat rhythm section driving a heavy Ska groove. Jaqee sings of a “taste of bitterness” pervading her existence as if she's stuck in a Concrete Jungle but then we experience the uplifting chorus of “Dance to the Music and I'll shake it with you” and it's happy times in the dance hall.

Of course in the end, it doesn't matter if the music is a clever mix of styles or showcase of Jaqee's worldly perspective as one who has lived across continents all her life. The most important aspect of “Kokoo Girl” is that the songs are just a gas to listen to. You know you're listening to a truly good album when your favorite track keeps changing from day to day. I've had at least five different favorites and I see no end in sight. I'm still not sick of this album. What's surprising to me is that this is Jaqee's fourth album but only her first foray into the genre of Reggae and Ska. The vibe created here seems to be so genuinely tapped into the spirit of the genre that I had just assumed that she had been playing this music for her entire career. It makes me very curious to hear what she has up her sleeve in the future. All around just a great find in The Free Bin.