Lila Fraysse and Caroline Dufau form the musical duo Cocanha, where they provide vocals and percussion. They combine their unique voices in harmonious melodies accompanied by stringed tambourines, feet, and hand rhythms. Their artistic partnership of over a decade has shaped their distinct vocal personas.
Cocanha’s music embraces minimalism and acoustic authenticity, enhanced by amplified percussion, which engages the audience in dance. They explore the Occitan language, using it as a platform to express their individuality and create distinctive melodies.
The duo reintroduces traditional Occitan music, breathing new life into archival songs and returning them to the oral tradition. They reimagine and invent words, fueling their collective imagination. Their songs empower the characters within them, reclaiming their passionate potency.
Cocanha’s album Puput produced by Raül Refree, garnered attention and placed them among an exciting generation of “traditional” music artists such as Sourdure, San Salvador, and Rodrigo Cuevas. “Puput,” an Occitan name for the hoopoe bird, symbolizes their subversive approach to challenging misogyny and social norms.
Cocanha consciously chooses to sing in Occitan, highlighting the suppression of regional languages and accents within a centralized French state with a colonial history.
After transitioning from a trio to a duo in 2020, Cocanha continues to explore melodies and harmonies, incorporating stringed tambourines and rhythmic orchestrations. They collaborate with choreographer Kaori Ito to create a unique stage experience.
As a duo, Cocanha seeks new artistic encounters and merges their musical universe with other aesthetics. They have collaborated with the noise rock duo Sec, forming the ensemble Tust, which features four voices, three stringed tambourines, two bass guitars, a synchronized drum kit, and harmonized choirs.
Cocanha has composed for the original soundtrack of the documentary film “Polaris,” directed by Ainara Vera and in collaboration with composer Amine Bouhafa. The film was selected for the Cannes Festival (ACID 2022). They have also presented a new creation titled “4132314,” which explores the memory of textile workers and featured collaborations with Tarta Relena and Los Sara Fontán in Barcelona.
(headline image: Cocanha – Photo by Amic Bedel)
Discography:
5 Cants Polifonics A Dançar (Cocanha, 2015)
I Ès ? (Pagans, 2017)
Puput (Pagans, 2020)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.