Zol!

BLK JKS’ Zol! EP fuses post-punk, prog, and the mbaqanga music of South Africa on tracks like “Lietys,” ”Bogobe,” and “Zol!” It’s no coincidence that the release date was planned to coincide with a BLK JKS performance at the 2010 World Cup in Africa. The title track seems made specifically for this occasion, with drummer Tshepang Ramoba singing Zulu-style call-and-response choruses over rolling basslines and a hyper-percussive beats as he toasts his own abilities on the soccer field; “I can roll and shoot at the same time.” As a whole, the EP plays more like a sampler to show off the group's range rather than a unified play. The sounds of Bad Brains, Fishbone, TV on the Radio, and even Depeche Mode may come to mind throughout the five tracks, but while BLK JKS still have yet to hone in on one particular style, they are always enjoyable when they stray off the beaten path.