Listen: Mo Kolours – “Little Brown Dog”

Mauritius is a small Indian Ocean island nation that culturally sits at a confluence of European, Asian and African cultures, sitting smack on old nautical trade routes. Being of Mauritian heritage, it’s fittingly apropos that British musician/producer Joseph Deenmamode (AKA Mo Kolours) constructs a cornucopia of sounds, touching on styles such as dub, reggae, soul, and hip hop.

Granted, these genres are natural bedfellows, but Deenmamode melds them so wholly and effortlessly, he eludes any pigeonholing. Latest single, “Little Brown Dog”, is a deceptively simple little nugget, as his velvet croon slides under the skin, bright, smooth, and as breezy as a tropical beach. Deenmamode’s kicker is the angular, knotty steel drum loop that slyly juxtaposes his vocals, adding a decidedly contemporary edge to the song.

There’s no double entendre or word plays with the song title, either; it’s literally about Deenmamode relaxing with his furry canine companion. It’s downright domestic and domesticity often exposes itself as corny in song if not handled properly. Here, though, Deenmamode makes domesticity sound….well, I’m gonna say it…sexy.

Mo Kolours’ self-titled album is out 24 March (One Handed Music) and can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp. His album launch party is on 1 April at The Waiting Room, London.