SAFARI, COF COFIndependiente, Spain
Rating: 65
By Carlos Reyes
Spain’s happiest duo Cof Cof (Alex & Ana) have been compared widely enough with The Ting Tings, we still feel they’re closer to Quiero Club and CSS, and it will probably take us while before we stop the comparisons (they are crucial in pop analysis), but they are making their way as an act of possibilities, it’s one of those bands that just need that one special catchy track to fully internationalize. It will most likely not be with Safari, their latest EP and a continuation to Who Said Party? It is slightly happier than anything they have released; they really spice up things by injecting some tropicalia into their happy and sunny songs, this practice got them a minor anthem “Caribbean Boy”, which for the moment stands as the most awaited song on their wonderfully entertaining live shows.
Safari made of five sparkling tracks that are weekend-ready, especially if you are a girl and/or a dreamer. Interesting enough Cof Cof isn’t very popular in Spain, as in not popular in mainstream or the indie blogs, the fact that they’re singing in English positions them on a line of local artists that are seen as foreign musicians, very much like Delorean whose Ayrton Senna EP was tagged as BestNewMusic at Pitchfork this week and they’re finally getting coverage back home. I guess it’s not too strange that a ‘Latino’ audience feels closer to Cof Cof’s sound than Europeans, by now tropipop or in this case tropitechno is not as exotic because we’ve been exposed to it before, and we can’t hesitate to differentiate Safari from Extraperlo’s Desayuno Continental or call it a pure pop album. “Third” argues there is a third member in the band, but they can’t put a light on him because “he is captive, he is a prisoner… his face it’s nasty...” certainly the most exciting plot in the album.
“Cell Phone” is a tricky song, first it seems like a song to emancipate yourself from a relationship, “forget me, you’re part of my past… but can I use your cellphone?” and it leaves hanging in confusion, handing your cellphone to an ex needs thought and precision as the potential for a last-minute dilemma is almost certified. They’re not afraid to sound cheesy in “Arrested”, a piece that could just have been recorded in the 90s now finds itself exposed on MP3, and it sounds good, and there’s some samba on it, and the whole “put your hands where I can see them, you're getting arrested tonight” is charming enough to make you dance but I’m not sure if these kind of songs are enough to let them take the next step, it was charming and quite terrific on their first album and there’s so much potential but it needs sequence. But there is plenty of progression in the culminating track “T-Shirt”, cool patterns all throughout, not necessarily cute lyrics but effective narrative through a paradise-like atmosphere. Catch!