Fusing together all the best elements of dirty underground hardcore punk with dirty underground hardcore electronic music, breakbeats and raver synths, the immediate sound of the Kappacore EP may seem jarring at first, but it actually makes a lot of sense. In the wake of bands like Pendulum, Rammstein and Enter Shikari taking their cues from the vast range and history of electronically charged music, Tokky Horror feels like the next group to really capture something special in the merge between those musical worlds and hit the ground running with that momentum. This isn’t just the next band to come along and try their hand at reaching fame and fortune, no, Tokky Horror have their sights set on an even greater prize: community.
“I always felt more at home in a punk club than a “gay bar”, that doesn’t mean those spaces are “wrong” it just means there is a sub-culture of people who don’t have a space. So here with Tokky, we want to create one.” Operating within both the worlds of LGBTQ+ nightlife events, and more traditional live touring circuit, the Tok‘ are in the early days of cultivating their own scene, popping up in all the right places to help capture the attention of those who still feel alone in a crowd, looking for something more, and with this collection of songs, they cover the all important basis of having iconic lines and lyrics for people to chant back at the band.
Techno infused opener ‘Maxine’ starts the EP off with a dark, dingy, back of the club vibe, before the breakneck speed of ‘Hammer 2 The Face’ kicks it up a notch for some full throttle drum and bass, albeit mixed in a more chaotic way, such is the DIY ethic of the band and their unique charm.
‘Jazz Music’ stands as the absolute peak of elation for the Kappacore EP, comedic and fun, it’s a high dose injection of silliness that, coupled with the bands ultimate goal of creating an inclusive and passionate space, represents more than a surface level moment of goofiness. For many of the kinds of people coming out to Tokky Horror live shows, their mere existence is made out to be “political” by others telling them they don’t belong, they’re too different, they don’t respect or “believe” in their way of life or the conditions of their existence; ‘Jazz Music’ is a reprieve from the woes of coming into contact with the negative thoughts that manifest because of those horrible, negative people. That injection of silly fun could very well be the sole moment that all doubt and all insecurity can be cast aside, in the unity of having a big fucking dance and sing along with the Tokky Horror crew, unashamed and full of nothing but unfiltered joy. It’s unconditional, and it’s pure, that for two beautiful minutes, not a shred of insecurity or fear might invade the mind, only frivolity and euphoria in the brain.
On the flipside of this: “Toilet is a heartbreak song about falling out of love with a scene.” The band tap into the deeper emotions of feeling out of place in the very space you were supposed to feel like you belong, highlighting the importance of their goals, with a more melodic and sombre tone embedded amongst breakbeats and softly sung vocals from the bands two vocalists Mollie Rush and Ava Akira. This moment of contemplation passes swiftly however, as the pace is accelerated for one last upbeat party anthem: ‘TRANMERE RAVER’. This one is a real knees up ditty, lead by the low tones of Zee Davine‘s bass guitar and the even lower tones of an absolutely filthy bassline, sending this short collective of tracks out on a big, smiling, defiant high.
“This is the last thing we’ll put out before disappearing to record our album. It’s road tested, high energy material from the first era of Tokky Horror.” It’s clear that the party is only just getting started for this gaggle of endearing misfits, and the Kappcore EP serves as a strong indication of the boundless passion and drive of Tokky Horror, the kind that makes a band nigh on unstoppable. Can’t stop, won’t stop, wouldn’t want to stop the Tok‘.