Cocoa Thrill – Subtropical (Linfa, 2025)
Cocoa Thrill, an instrumental quintet based in Apulia, Italy, explores global rhythms through a distinctly Southern lens on their debut album, Subtropical. This alluring ensemble draws from seductive cumbia, Afro-funk, tropical grooves, dub, psychedelia, and jazz.
The album reflects the cultural and climatic affinities between Southern Italy and regions of Latin America and West Africa, ties shaped by centuries of Mediterranean exchange and Spanish influence. These parallels, amplified by the effects of climate change, inform both the title and the musical direction of Subtropical.
Cocoa Thrill features Angelo “Japan” De Grisantis (percussion and drums), Francesco La Viola (sax), Lorenzo Lorenzoni (trombone), Dario “Gopher” Troso (guitar), and Emanuele Flandoli (bass and production). The group performs without vocals, yet conveys a clear social message centered on solidarity with the Global South. That message becomes more explicit through the use of sampled voices, such as Salvador Allende’s 1972 address to the United Nations in “La Moneda,” and an excerpt from Diego Maradona discussing anti-South American prejudice in Europe.
Without lyrics, Cocoa Thrill emphasizes rhythm, atmosphere, and a transcontinental dialogue that bridges Salento with Santiago de Chile, Dakar, and beyond.
Author: Iliana Cabrera
