(April 18, 2026) Working with someone who you look up to and consider an influence can be a blessing, or it can be a curse. For the Tokyo, Japan based band Kroi, working with Incognito and the Acid Jazz band’s legendary founder, Bluey, ended up being an unqualified blessing.
The collaboration that resulted in making of the up-tempo fusion of funk, jazz, and hip-hop multi-lingual tune “Kinetic (feat. Incognito),” began when the funky Japanese quintet came to the UK in 2025 to perform at The Great Escape. The Great Escape is a festival that highlights 450 emerging artists from around the world. It’s akin to the South x Southwest festival that takes place in Austin, Tx.
Kroi played at the Brighton, UK festival, and then the band decided to seek out a local producer to make their next song. Kroi quickly decided to focus on collaborating with Incognito, a band the quintet has long admired, and they tapped Incognito’s legendary founder, Bluey, as producer.
Both proved to be wise choices. Few current bands go as hard as incognito. Bluey is an internationalist who has worked with artists on all points of the globe, and Incognito’s music draws upon multiple global influences.
The song “Kinetic” is the musical embodiment of motion and energy. The vocals move from Japanese to English and rap to singing. The big bass line screams funk and the tight harmony on the horns will elicit memories of the era when this kind of music dominated radio. A funky good time is spoken here. Check it out.
By Howard Dukes
