Presenting you Koala, music from the next dawn.

2002, a Belgian young man out of the Heart of Antwerp, Carlos Dyckmans, deciding time had come for the next band. Koala, a project in name, composing tunes that will bring you into the next millenium of music. Music that will take you on a mindtrip from the heart of a green damp jungle up to the no-place catacombs of some grim city. A project, eclectic in nature, soul, hiphop, world, jazz, but eventually reaching beyond the borders of what music has been so far.
This is what Koala stands for: an overwhelming aesthetic experience that transcends the mere auditive sensorium,

MEMBERS:
Carlos/Islasoul/soi/joris/wim/Luca

guests:
Joy Adegoke,Lamont Stigler,Sarah Budths,Petra zuidwijk,,

KOALA press about KOALA

Koala

Is it our imagination or is everyone in the world enthustiastic about Belgian music nowadays?

To say that such a small country plays such a big role in the international music scene, would be an understatement.
Viewing the success of bands like dEUS, Hooverphonic, Ozark Henry, Novastar, 2 Many Dj's (the Soulwax dj-outlet), a younger generation of bands is feeling confident enough to follow in these bands internationally renowned footsteps.
Rarely do we come across a band that offers something genuinely different, but that is precisely what Koala is aiming for.
The guts of the band is contained in its cross-genre sculpting of songs and sounds.
Having the ingredients of a regular band (guitar, bass, drum and vocals), as well as electronic craftsmanship (samples, keyboards, turntables) at its disposal, Koala is eager to claim the throne in triphop-land.
Its music is hard to pin down, it is amorphous and wide-ranging, but still lingers in an accessible spectrum of styles.
Koala's music is like making drawings. It's not only about navigating along the outlines and blueprints of triphop, hiphop, jazz(y lounge), (prog)rock, breakbeat, soul and dub, but moreover about how they paint with a marvellous array of colours.

The realisation of the clip from 'Dead End' was a family matter. Production, photography and camera were done by Roger Dyckmans. Editing was done by Anais Dyckmans. Roger Dyckmans, a fashion-photographer by profession, took several thousands pictures to seamlessly sow them together to make a vivid and swift frame-by-frame animationlike clip. This process results in a weird and lasting impression, which in its turn, perfectly fits with the atmosphere of the track.

Think of it as a proof of the ambition to possibly redefine the rules and standards of the genre.
You'll be relieved to hear that the band is keen on keeping the workflow intense and and the creative output unstoppable.

It's as simple as a nature's rule: the presence of gravity can pull you down or lift you up.

If you want to know what Koala has been doing so far and in whose reflective glory they've been basked lately, check out the following quotes and reviews:

Press

"Out from the far regions of Anonymity, 'Gravity' hits like a graciously thrown molotov-thingytail in slow motion."
- Aight.be (e-zine)

"Koala has the ability to just snap one of it's fingers and totally change my mood. I can't listen to it because i'm forced to live and absorb the music. This is no hiphop, this is music. It sounds international, but it's Belgian."
- Wastelandmagazine.com (e-zine and independant record label)

"'Gravity' is an album that sneaks up on you, grabs your attention and firmly tightens it grip. You don't put this back in the closet after a single play. Very well done for a self-produced debutalbum." - Kindamuzik.net (e-zine)

"Completely self-produced debut. Respect! The collaborations with numerous musicians and guests make this music difficult to pigeonhole, and that's exactly why we like it so much."
- RifRaf (national monthly musiczine)

"Tightly produced album from Antwerp-based collective. Think Massive Attack, Dj Shadow, Portishead."
- Muziekcentrum.be (independent and official governmental supportbase)

"'Gravity': an excellent ode and as such a challenging and inspiring retrospective and preview on the history and future of triphop."
- Goddeau.com (e-zine)

"'Gravity' is a first-rate album that dwells along fragile and rarified paths. Very well done and equiped with a solid production. Should there be something like a musical protected species, Koala would be one of them. A must have for all triphop fans, a recommendation to everyone else." - Belpop.com (e-zine)

"Just lots of rightheous praises for this ambitious, extraordinary and edifying debut with a striking personality, that with some support, might be bound for an international breakthrough."- Soundslike.be (e-zine)