RIO KOSTA – multi-instrumentalists Mike Del Rio and Kosta Galanopoulos – have caused a buzz around Los Angeles with their live shows and now, they inspire further discovery by sharing new single ‘Ancients’, together with another new song ‘It’s Starting’. LISTEN HERE + WATCH ‘ANCIENTS’ HERE.

‘Ancients’ exudes the kind of euphoric vibes that will beckon newcomers into the RIO KOSTA’s world. It’s music that defines time-and-place: choral vocal harmonies flow with the otherworldly ambience whilst its rhythms trigger blissed-out, lost-in-the-moment movement. This is music informed by tradition, but timeless in the reaction it provokes.

Watch: ‘Ancients’ (Official Music Video)

Mike Del Rio says, “We wrote this in the beginning stages of the band, when we were still figuring out what this project was. It became a cornerstone of the sound and happened very quickly.  It was based around a loop we made from Kosta’s fathers Greek band from the ‘70s. We did the majority of it live in the moment, probably around 2am on a Tuesday night sometime in late 2021. The world was in a weird place and questionable place and we were commiserating about our own destiny and previous incarnations as people.  The theme felt ancient sounding, like it was pulled from the beginning of time which prompted the title and the direction of the song.”

The second song, ‘It’s Starting’, takes that free-flowing ethos somewhere even more addictive. Its loop, comprising of funk, beats and disco-tinged guitar patterns could spin for eternity. Kosta Galanopoulos adds, “‘It’s Starting’ is a proclamation for us. It’s got so many elements and themes that feel unique to our sound and ethos for us.  It kind of wraps up a lot of what we wanted to say in a very simple way.”

Creatively they have also taken inspiration from Mike’s home/studio, ‘Hotel Havana’ – a place with a storied heritage in the world of LA pop culture. It had previously been the home of hit ‘50s crooner turned bit-part ‘80s actor Dick Caruso, who lived in its garish Jimmy Buffet-meets-Liberace decor with his two boyfriends, and welcomed guests such as Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock.

Their global grooves echo much of their respective heritages, with Kosta’s Greek background and Mike being inspired by his Spanish and Italian roots, his time growing up in New York, and especially revisiting his identity following the passing of his Puerto Rican grandmother. Drawing influence from Jorge Ben, Idris Muhammed, War, Ebo Taylor, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more, RIO KOSTA have been likened to the spiritual cousins of Khruangbin but there’s a whole lot more to discover once they start unveiling more new music.