Emerging from the bustling streets of Yopougon, Toto Le Banzou has quickly become a name to reckon with in the Ivorian music scene. Known for his eclectic influences, which range from Meiway's Zoblazo to DJ Arafat's Coupé Décalé, Toto's journey from a budding football enthusiast to a music sensation is as dynamic as his tunes. His 2020 breakthrough with "Faut Guncher" and collaboration with rap heavyweight...

Empty Pinata – remember LA Rodriguez? – serves up the single "Bonfire," and honestly, the air changes slightly when you play it. It’s less like passively listening and more like discovering a singed diary page fluttering down a quiet street. The music itself is this curious contradiction, wrapping harrowing emotional shrapnel in the comforting gauze of indie-pop, flecked with soft rock warmth. A strangely...