OY, initially a solo act, has become a duo made up of Joy Frempong (voc, electr.) and Lleluja-Ha (dr, arr, prod). Joy Frempong, the half Ghanaian and half Swiss multi versed vocalist is definitely one of a rare breed - at home in the left-of-center sound but gifted with a penchant for writing sticky unforgettable melodies.

Three years after her vivacious debut First Box Then Walk, which effortlessly sold out the first pressing and commenced a demanding touring schedule, OY is back with another rich offering - a new LP cryptically entitled KOKOKYINAKA. The result is a genre bending, generously seasoned stew of African inflected Electronica, garnished with lavish, colorful stories and proverbs - the whole effort packaged into an infectious, melody driven concept record designed to play like a road trip juggernaut of a soundtrack.

Joy's voice remains mutable throughout, changing color palettes, textures, styles, and even accents with playful chameleon-like ease, not unlike the stories being told which segue between overheard dialogues, proverbs, and folk tales, often in one breath. The wildly vibrant sample base includes a parachute, fufu pounding, fireworks, and a shoe. Along with all of the animated stories it was mostly collected on trips to Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and during a residency in South Africa. The actual writing and the production for the record took place at studios located in Berlin under the guidance of talented drummer, producer, and co-writer Lleluja-Ha.

His textural drumming and feel for well fleshed out arrangements is present throughout. If anything, KOKOKYINAKA is a mature work which thoroughly exhibits Joy Frempong's versatility as composer, vocalist, and storyteller, but most of all it's a testament to OY's unique take on Electronica - mercurial, downright experimental, yet flushed with soulful melodies.