EP REVIEW: KAPPACORE – Tokky Horror
Having formed in 2021, TOKKY HORROR are quickly making a name for themselves. The collective are based in Birkenhead, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Leeds, and their mix of hardcore and dance music means that they might not stay unknown for long, judging by the fact that their headline show at the Blondies pub in London is close to selling out. Their new EP, KAPPACORE, is the follow-up to 2021’s I Found The Answers And Now I Want More.
Maxine (featuring Blazer Boccie) opens the EP and makes the most of its drum ‘n’ bass sound, which is the driving force of the song. In fact, we can imagine this song becoming very popular at raves. Unfortunately, the vocals are hard to hear as they are mixed into the beat, which makes them feel redundant as the song continues very well without the vocals. But dance music is never really about the vocals; it’s about the beat, and in that sense, TOKKY HORROR have succeeded. Hammer 2 The Face thankfully allows the vocals to be front and centre. The jungle-beat is an absolute riot on the senses, but it unfortunately sounds a little wasted in a studio sound. It would work extremely well live, however, the production on the song makes it sound like it has the restraints on.
Jazz Music is the most fascinating song on the EP, mixing electronic beats with jazz music to create a fast-paced dance song with some (very rare) moments of calm. The gang vocals work especially well as they are like a call to the dance floor. Toilet is an oddly-named song that finally makes the most of the hardcore elements of the band that – up until now – have been mostly left to the sidelines. The guitar riffs are mixed in with the electronica beat, and the vocals from Mollie Rush and Ava Akira are at their very best, especially as they are mixed in well the beat, and it makes them easier to hear. It is easily the strongest song on the EP, as it utilises the hardcore to emphasise the dance music.
Closing track Tranmere Raver (featuring MC NULTR) pulls out all the stops, with a bass-heavy beat that you can’t help but get up and dance to. The beat increases in intensity as the song goes on, and then explodes into a flurry of a fantastic beat drop that – again – will sound incredible live.
It has to be said that where TOKKY HORROR‘s first EP laid out the more hardcore/dance sound, this one is more straight up dance-heavy. The aforementioned Toilet is the only track that really meshes the hardcore and dance sound on this EP, and it works so well that one wonders if the band could have experimented a little more with that to help differentiate themselves from other electronic artists. Nevertheless, the production is fantastic, the overall pacing of the EP is nice and high, allowing the minutes to fly by, and even though the vocals are not often a focal point, they are mostly audible as the production means that the electronic music works well around them.
Overall, KAPPACORE showcases a bright and upcoming band that make the most of the dance scene. Whilst they could make more use of the hardcore sound, TOKKY HORROR have clearly developed their love of dance music, switching from sub-genres such as drum ‘n’ bass to jungle. It is just a little unfortunate that they did not utilise the strong potential of their song Toilet, a brilliant mixture of hardcore and dance. On the other hand, they are still just starting out, so they are probably keeping their cards close to their chest. If you are a fan of dance music and are looking for a fresh and new electronic band, then check out TOKKY HORROR.
Rating: 7/10
KAPPACORE is set for release on May 12th via Venn Records.
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