Band chemistry is a strange science and is often as much about luck as it is by design. Putting several named musicians together is no sure sign of success; get that fusion right and things will sparkle and fizz nicely, mix those chemicals in wrong quantities, however, and the result will flatline. In the case of Koyo, I’m pleased to report that it is very much the former, and their second album, Barely Here, finds them very much at the peak of their powers. Delivering ten tracks that fuse various genres into a potent brew, Barely Here is a spark to tinder, so handle with care.
Featuring members of SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Hangman, Typecase, and Adrenaline, the quintet collectively known as Koto are the very epitome of a “supergroup”, a term that conjures images of rampant egos and corporate scheming. When it comes to Koyo nothing could be further from the truth, it helps that the band were all friends before they formed this group, and as such there’s an easy equilibrium between these five musicians, a chemistry that verges upon a sixth sense and results in a sound that’s direct and powerful. Case in point being opening blast (and title track) ‘Barely Here’, a song that bristles with the frenetic energy that characterises this album. There’s no time to waste on fancy introductions or preambles, just a solitary ring of a telephone and then the band are off like a shot from a starting pistol. With the spaces between songs kept to a bare minimum and only three of the ten tracks (barely) breaking the three-minute mark, Barely Here has a nice compact feel. Koyo prove themselves the ultimate editors; they don’t use two notes when one will suffice and as such there’s a serious lack of fluff here, with little meat on the bones songs such as ‘Jet Stream Wish’ connect with maximum force.
Koyo cite bands like Glassjaw, Taking Back Sunday, and The Movielife as influences, but the group I’d most closely align them with is Polar Bear Club. As with that upstate New York crew, Koyo have a sound that’s at once intricate and visceral, and heavy and emotive (it is in this respect that the band’s chemistry becomes vitally important). They are not always easy elements to balance, but when they are brought together and stitched into a cohesive whole the results are ‘Selden Mansions’, songs that attack your head and heart simultaneously.
Aided by a few guest appearances and furnished with a bold production, Koyo’s sophomore album is a vital and urgent affair that places them firmly in the present, but will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Clocking in at a cool 28-minutes this is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it type of record, but no fear because Barely Here is the type of album that invites repeat plays.
- Barely Here is released vis Pure Noise Records on 8th May 2026.
Track List:
- Barely Here
- Jet Stream Wish
- Saying Vs Meaning (feat. Sammy Ciaramitaro)
- It Happens To The Best Of Us
- You Hate Me
- Selden Mansions
- Oxidize (feat. Marisa Shirar)
- What I’m Worth
- Pace And Loiter
- Irreversible
