Cola Boyy’s Prosthetic Boombox Is a Radical Ode to the Self, Community and Power of Rhythm
Cola Boyy, aka Oxnard, California, resident and “disabled disco innovator” Matthew Urango, is sexy. He is sexy because he has chosen to be sexy, and because throughout the 10 tracks that make up his debut album Prosthetic Boombox, there is an irrefutably gorgeous spark of personality that often heightens to a flame at certain points. Growing up disabled (spina bifida and scoliosis) from a multi-ethnic background in a community drastically impacted by the effects of late-stage capitalism, Cola Boyy draws on these experiences to craft an electrifying, catchy and colorful debut. Previous singles like “All Power To The People” prove that this belief in the necessity of community isn’t new territory, but the result of a lifelong commitment to these ideals. Much of the album’s personality is framed through the radical light of disco, a genre founded on the principles of liberation through dance and free expression. With his background in community organization, his effortless control of rhythm, funk and melody, and his vibrant aesthetic sensibilities, Urango proves himself a worthy disco practitioner. In other words, sexy.
Album opener and lead single “Don’t Forget Your Neighborhood” marks the second collaboration between Cola Boyy and The Avalanches, a duo that sounds immediately like a match made in heaven. Few artists understand better what made the warmth of 1970s dance music such a magical sensation than The Avalanches, and it’s this shared understanding between the two that helps to usher the single to brilliant heights. When Urango sings “Will I make it if I walk there?” there’s a painful urgency that’s backlit by the saccharine instrumental. Paying homage to his hometown community, the song carries with it a powerful message about the powers that our roots possess and the virtual unstoppability of a motivated group.