Tuff Times Never Last
by Kokoroko
- Type: Album
- Released: 11 Jul 2025
- Label: Brownswood Recordings
- Country: Kenya, United Kingdom
- Length: 49:33
- Community rating: 3.46/5 from 7 ratings
Artists on this release: Onome Edgeworth, Yohan Kebede, Anoushka Nanguy, Ayo Salawu, Duane Atherley, Chelsea Carmichael, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Tobi Adenaike-Johnson
Album Notes & Community Reviews
On their second album 'Tuff Times Never Last', the London septet Kokoroko expands its signature Afrobeat and jazz fusion by weaving in a broad palette of styles including West African disco, 80s Brit-funk, neo-soul, and lovers rock. Thematically, the work explores perseverance and joy found after adversity, resulting in compositions that are rhythmically uplifting while maintaining a sense of reflective melancholy. The band's performance emphasizes a cohesive and restrained elegance, building spacious, funk-inflected grooves and warm, layered horn textures rather than focusing on individual solos.
Genres
Descriptors: communal, dance, ensemble, groove-laden, party
Tracklist
- Never Lost (04:23)
- Sweetie (04:04)
- Closer To Me (05:23)
- My Father in Heaven (02:29)
- Idea 5 (Call My Name) [feat. LULU.] (04:51)
- Three Piece Suit (feat. Azekel) (04:34)
- Time and Time (feat. Demae) (03:14)
- Da Du Dah (03:48)
- Together We Are (03:40)
- Just Can't Wait (06:22)
- Over / Reprise (06:45)
Credits
- Sheila Maurice-Grey - band leader, co bandleader, vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, written-by
- Onome Edgeworth - band leader, co bandleader, percussion, written-by
- Duane Atherley - bass guitar, vocals, written-by
- Yohan Kebede - keyboards, synths, vocals, written-by
- Tobi Adenaike-Johnson - guitar, vocals, written-by
- Anoushka Nanguy - trombone, vocals
- Ayo Salawu - drums, vocals, written-by
- Chelsea Carmichael - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
- Ademola Azekel Bamidele Adesuyi - written-by
- Stuart Hawkes - lacquer cut by, mastered by