Polarity/1’s use of broken record sound at the start of The Marvin Stomp makes his song anything but broken. In fact, the introductory sounds are so upbeat that the repetition is quite satisfying. The jazzy twists and swingin beat sure give the performers in the Battery Dance Company something to dance about. Just try listening to these melodies without moving along Polarity/1s eclectic compilation of bouncy, enthusiastic noises which will have listeners dancing inside and out.

WATCH THE VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSzvumd1jE

The music of Polarity/1 is exactly what the name suggests: conjoined opposites — a mash up of new: cutting edge electronica/hip hop/nu-jazz and old; roots music of America (blues, funk, country, early jazz), Brazil (samba, pagoda, etc.) and West African groove science. Polarity also describes the dual streams of Polarity/1’s musical output: songs and instrumentals.

http://www.polarity1.com http://www.batterydanceco.com http://www.itunes.com/polarity%2F1

Download Free MP3 Of Polarity/1’s “Plunder”

The appropriately titled “Plunder” begins with a Bernie Madoff impersonator admitting to the now infamous ponzi scheme, which has since led to a 150 year prison sentence. As the song progresses, clips from this speech are cleverly inserted throughout the verses. The production is fantastic, and although it’s certainly not organic in nature, the horns and funky bass line keep it grounded, and prevent it from becoming just a jumble of computer loops. With clever lines like “easy credit, easy crime, American dream, death by subprime,” Plunder succeeds in portraying the current dismal economic picture. However, despite the grim nature of the lyrics, the track is ironically upbeat, and in the end, it makes you want to dance, even though the subject matter is nothing worth celebrating.
- Will Cohn, MusicDish e-Journal

The music of Polarity/1 can be heard in the upcoming documentary “Plunder,” directed by Danny Schechter. Nicknamed “The News Dissector”, Emmy Award winning Schechter investigates the economic downturn and subprime mortgage crisis. Polarity/1 contributes two songs to the film, and even makes a brief cameo appearance.

Watch the teaser trailer for Danny Schechter’s ‘Plunder’ documentary

The first song that Polarity/1 contributes is the title track to the film. “Plunder” has a funky feel with slap bass, a strong horn section, and creative lyrics. In the beginning of the song, a Bernie Madoff impersonator admits to his crimes. Then, the rap comes in which describes how “greed is the creed, drug of choice” and touches on almost every aspect of the financial crisis; credit swamp, subprime mortgages, 401k’s, and of course Bernie Madoff himself. Throughout the song, the horns have a call and response with the melody of the lyrics.

Listen to & download Polarity/1’s “Plunder” (rough mix)

Since the release of their global funktronica debut album, entitled Illegal Space Aliens, Koko Dozo has been receiving stellar reviews all across the Internet. Koko Dozo is a duo made up of multi-instrumentalist/arranger/composer/producer Polarity/1, and vocal diva Amy Douglas. Both members are formally trained musicians, and since meeting up in New York City in the mid-1990’s, they have created a noticeable splash in the music scene.

Referring to the track I Know Who You Are, pleasedontstare.com said, “I promise you won’t be disappointed. This is beautiful music. Perfect for a Saturday afternoon.” They went on to say that “they have some of the funkiest dance music I’ve heard in a while, as well as some extremely dope ballads and social commentary sprinkled in their as well”.

The blog Dancefloor Mayhem has also given Koko Dozo high praise. Referring to The Shine, they said, “This is a really fun house track. Has a great old school vibe. Reminds me of Incognity, Masers at Work and a lot of the quality deep house from Strictly Rhythm circa ‘93-’95.”

Mark Kirby, a writer for Musicdish e-Journal said, “One of the strengths of Illegal Space Aliens…is that there are nine choice cuts on this record. No fluff, just a statement. This should be the new trend. This should also be an example of how to make dance music that is intelligent and cool, not dumbed down to the level of morons in too-tight $90 designer jeans.”

Gasper Oliviera, of GBH.tv says “New Yorkers looking for music that embraces their city’s cultural diversity ought to check them out. The best way to survive in a melting pot is to get close.”

Making this kind of music in the studio is one thing, but live performance is a whole different art form. However, it’s clear that Koko Dozo knows how to put on a show. Referring to a video of a Koko Dozo performance, mefeedia.com says that, “Polarity/1 is rocking the guitar while Amy sings her heart out. The song has a bit of an otherworldly vibe at times, but it is without a doubt another great jam for the party at Tubway. One thing is clear from watching both videos – Koko Dozo have a definite stage presence and know how to work a crowd!”

Koko Dozo is a duo of legally alienated New Yorkers — Polarity/1 and Amy Douglas — who create a sound they call Global Funktronica: a unique blend of electronica, funk, club grooves, jazz and roots grooves from Brazil, Latin America and Africa. Their lyrics are hilarious, provocative, and powerful, sung in English, Spanish and Portuguese, supported by music that is truly otherworldly, rich, textural and extremely funky.

http://www.kokodozo.com
http://kokodozo.musicdish.net

Polarity/1‘s Fulano De Tal is easily one of the most impressive songs in Lisbon’s Quorum ballet, The Other Side. This piece allows for an aggressive, yet romantic interplay with the choreography of the dancers while keeping a dark cryptic mood for its audience. Another reassuringly exceptional piece from Polarity/1.