From the Tunisian Sahel, Koast shines in the local musical scene. Rap & RnB. Glam, mixing languages and a powerful voice. She is the new generation of creatives in her homeland. But not only, her music is also exported beyond it. Ok, let’s go.
The Beginning..
First, Koast learned in the streets of Monastir, the small town where she grew up. Then, she trained in a more academic way, notably in musicology studies in Paris. Girl Boss? Of course. She released her first album in 2019, Bilal Town and next year Afro TN. Both are produced by Ratchopper, the founder of the Tunisian label Bloc C. BTOWN, is composed of a volume 1 and 2, it makes you chilly. The voice rises, stretches, hovers, falls. Her music acts as a catalyst on our feelings, hearts get carried away. At times even to anger? It makes heated sounds as SE’ATT. The ideal soundtrack for riding at night, with headphones screwed to your ears.
Exploration
Koast deals with a whole range of themes. She closely follows her emotions and reaches out to the Tarab school. The art of rapture. Her musical background is full of aesthetics. It’s lyrical. Romance abundantly with sounds like JAPAN, released in the 2020 summer for Afro TN. Pop with an Afro beat. A summer vibe that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Koast plays with her voice, high hooks, low turns. An extremely nonchalant virtuosity. While listening, the ears are furious, Dope!
& Crystallization
A few months ago the artist released a jewel, Kima Nina, in homage to her jazz influences. Written by a diva for a diva, Nina Simone! The sound is bewitching, with a more sung part and some moments more posed on the beat. In fact, that’s what her music is all about. Koast combines vocals on trap and placements that are similar to those of rap. Without being very precise, out of the beat or on the contrary stuck on it. Atypical, but charismatic. It gives beautiful songs such as BELEK, released in November 2021. What a nugget! Koast strikes a chord. Another notch above. The voice and the beat offer a bewitching mix. The words twist and bounce. The fusion of English slang and Arabic dialect is delightful. BELEK is a heaviness and slowness track that you have to take time to appreciate. A languorous yet strong parenthesis. What a vibe! With this piece Koast asserts herself.
Scoop
On December 28, a UFO flies around the rap game, we can read in big letters Black Hoodie Club. Could it be a secret gang in formation? Well, maybe not so secret ? Indeed, it’s the release of their first album, Rise of a Gang. An 18-track record that brings together an army of well-trained Tunisian artists. Some rhyme tamers such as 4lfa, Ta9chira, Ktyb, Brotherhood Family, Stou and obviously Koast. All in black flow dressed. On AFTER she sings a verse in French, once again her voice fits the instrumental perfectly. Or is it the contrary? In short, the vocal atmosphere is insane. We start with a very deep bass to reach a sound that actually sounds quite rock. A real boy band! No, seriously, the production is fearsome. Watch out Tunis is coming!
Koast surrounds herself with talented people for an ever more constructed music. With the Bloc C stables, her trajectory is promising. She has yet announced the release of a new project, Mixtape of a Lady, in co-production with Ratchopper and Johnsix. The first track DRUGSTORE can already be heard on youtube. One track, 3 languages. The tempo is excellent. 2 minutes and 50 seconds of breathlessness. It’s due to the way she strings the words together. Convinced auditors or not, at NML we are fully hooked !
written by Antonia Barot aka Nomulian 4178