DJ KOCO aka SHIMOKITA – Cuban 45 Boxset (RSD26)

Two years since DJ KOCO aka SHIMOKITA curated his sold-out Mr Bongo Brazil 45 boxset, he is back with another Record Store Day special, this time turning his attention to Cuba.

Following a meteoric rise to the top, the Japanese DJ / turntablist extraordinaire has won the world over with his unquestionable humility, refreshing positivity, and flawless skills. The DJ’s DJ, it’s as much about taste as it is technicality for one of the world’s best showmen. When the idea arose for a Cuban Classics 45 Boxset to mark RSD 2026, DJ KOCO was top of the list. With a deep-seated passion for Cuban music, its melting pot of cultures, its focus on rhythm, and its undeniable groove, DJ KOCO presents a selection of his favourite Cuban cuts, as well as two exclusive edits for the boxset.

It kicks off with the Latin funk sounds of Ricardo Eddy Martinez y Expreso Ritmico’s ‘La 132’ from 1978, before rolling into one of two spellbinding Juan Pablo Torres y Algo Nuevo cuts found on the boxset. Elsewhere, you’ll hear Farah Maria’s slow disco ‘Amame Y No pienses Mas’, an unusual American-leaning production for Cuba at the time, given the state of US-Cuban political relations in that period.

Other highlights include Orquesta Riverside’s ‘En Casa Del Trompo No Bailes’, taken from a rare collectable 7″, channelling a low- slung Latin bounce which explodes into an AfroCuban dancer as the track progresses. In signature style, DJ KOCO has also served up two exclusive edits for the boxset. These include a reworking of the Cuban children’s band Grupo Ismaelillo’s quirky ‘Amanecer’, giving it a more DJ-friendly structure. You’ll also find DJ KOCO’s take on FA-5’s much- loved funky dancer ‘Muevete Con Las Fuerzas Del Corazon’ with its heavy b-boy/girl break from 1976.

Testament to Cuba’s vast and vibrant musical landscape, DJ KOCO has cherry-picked some of the finest recordings to emanate from the country, spanning a wide range of styles and rhythms. Yet what ties all the tracks on this boxset together, is a hip hop sensibility and thirst for a breaks-heavy, danceable energy which radiates through DJ KOCO’s masterful DJ sets.