Niño Koi is a four-piece post-rock band from Costa Rica. They were part of the 2010 indie rock boom in San José, the moment when the scene sparkled. They were gone from venues and absent on the Internet for two years just until a couple days ago.
What always distinguished Niño Koi – and garnered them a loyal fan base – was their capacity to produce emotive tracks through just their music and the occasional sample, a quality most post-rock bands desire, but one that not all display so easily. This was showcased on their first EP Alegorías (2010) and their LP La Pequeña Muerte (2012), both recorded with all members of the band in the room. It was post-rock, but more visceral and distorted than the catchall genre term suggests. It was the sound of desperation and release, with a constant sense that there’d be a new beginning.
In August 2013, after a pretty quiet season with occasional shows, they performed their last set as a five-piece band, the same night they premiered their first clip for the song “El Último Rey de Talamanca.” It took several weeks after that to find out that only three members were keeping the project alive through rehearsals, and that the news of a comeback wasn’t coming anytime soon. The band explained the situation in a Facebook post and then stayed even more quiet than before.
Two weeks ago, Niño Koi re-emerged on social media and teased a comeback, until they finally confirmed a show on Friday, September 4. Last Sunday, they also released a surprise new single, one that opens a new chapter in their career.
“Logos, Pathos, Ethos” is both contemplative and explosive, a good point of entry for those who don’t know the band and a familiar vibe for those who have been following from the beginning. Though a little less raw than their previous material, the track shows how the band still has some tricks up their sleeve. They won’t waste their comeback in subtle moves – they’re back to make the stage tremble again.