Matthew Urango – aka – the “disabled disco innovator” – aka – Cola Boyy latest track “Walk Again” is out now. A funk-infused yearning based around trumpets and a reggae-esque guitar loop. The song is a standout from the artist’s upcoming posthumous sophomore album Quit to Play Chess, coming out May 23rd out via Record Makers. Reminiscent of Kali Uchis, Marvin Gaye or Sade, Cola Boyy’s new single produced by Nate Fox (Chance The Rapper, Lil Wayne) and Blasé (Lala &ce) is a silky soulful R&B gem about transcending his own disability.
Cola Boyy worked on songs like “Walk again” on Quit to Play Chess right up until he passed away, approving the mastering that very day, making the release date the only posthumous thing about it. Trusted collaborators on this release include Andrew VanWyngarden, co-leader of MGMT, Jared Solomon (Remi Wolf, Lola Young, Fousheé), Nate Fox (Chance The Rapper, Lil Wayne), Blasé and Lewis OfMan.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VISUALIZER FOR “WALK AGAIN”
CLICK HERE TO PRE-SAVE QUIT TO PLAY CHESS
The new album was designed as capsules where hip-hop and R&B flourish (scratching, brass samples, pitched vocals, among others) merge, and enrich Cola Boyy’s sound without distorting the groovy DNA of his music. While his previous album unfolded as a radiant disco-funk manifesto, Quit to Play Chess, transcends stylistic boundaries with songwriting that is strikingly immediate.
At its core, Cola Boyy’s music will continue to serve as a soundtrack for revolutions: against ableism, inequality, and xenophobia. He used music as a message to bring people together, shining a light on the things we all have in common instead of the things that divide us.
In 1918, French iconoclast Marcel Duchamp stepped away from the art market he had been helping to revolutionize. Alone in America for five years, he decided to cultivate his passion for chess. In time, he would consider the game “purer than art” and become a master, to the point of becoming less creatively prolific for the rest of his career.
This is the reference Cola Boyy picked for the title of his second album “Quit to Play Chess”. You can feel the echoes of Duchamp’s story in the life of Matthew Urango (his real name): a musician who managed to reinvigorate funk and disco with just a handful of revolutionary releases, celebrated by both his peers and the public. Cola Boyy’s journey also shares its abruptness, with Matthew Urango passing away the day he delivered his new record on March 17, 2024, at the tender age of 34.
Whilst this context adds poignancy to the title, the sense of buoyant fulfilment that runs through the record makes it clear that whilst it’s the final studio album of his career, it’s no less significant. On the follow-up to his debut EP (“Black Boogie Neon”, 2018) and a first album (“Prosthetic Boombox”, 2021), Cola Boyy updates his references with a burst of hyper-generous inventiveness.
The self-styled “disabled disco innovator,” Matthew was open and vocal about his disabilities – he had spina bifada and scoliosis and wore a prosthetic leg, which he proudly put on blast on the cover of his debut album. He was never shy to speak up for the rights of the working classes, informed by his childhood growing up in Oxnard, a historically agricultural community in Southern California with a large undocumented population, many of which are exploited and underpaid. The city’s vibrant punk scene is where his musical talent began to take shape, with early projects El Mariachi and Sea Lions proving vital experiences.
After discovering his demos on Soundcloud, French label Record Makers signed him and released his first EP, gaining recognition with the singles “All Power to the People” and “To Be Rich Should Be a Crime” (a cover of Jeb Loy Nichols, a hidden gem of country-soul), leading him to open for MGMT on their “Little Dark Age” tour, and be invited to perform at Coachella in 2019: a novel experience for such a new act.
It was in France that Matthew found the resources that would enrich his first album: featuring Nicolas Godin (AIR), Pierre Rousseau (Paradis), Myd, and Infinite Bisous, “Prosthetic Boombox” was released in 2021. Featuring guest stars like The Avalanches and Andrew VanWyngarden on standouts “Don’t Forget Your Neighborhood” and “Kid Born In Space”, the project was praised for both its technical qualities and its message. Cola Boyy was defiantly positive: using music as a message to bring people together, shine a light on the things we all have in common instead of the things that divide us. He was the epitome of an engaged artist, a role that came with certain pressures.
Unable to return to France due to the Covid pandemic, he naturally turned to the music of his youth and collaborated with producers from his hometown in Oxnard. Less militant in spirit, this project draws more from the artist’s personal life to sharpen his commentary on the real world. The distinctly contemporary energy that flows through the album is also a testament to Matthew’s fine creative intuition throughout his life.
Beyond the tributes, the promise that Cola Boyy’s music will continue to be heard is a testament to the lasting impact of his message.
“To lose a brother, a son; there is a wide and hollow space within us that will never be filled. But there is music in that emptiness. We are lucky to still have his voice. His music is like nothing else on this earth, it came from a kid born in space. It warms our hearts knowing our Cola Boyy has so many more people to reach with his style and political convictions. “Quit to Play Chess” is a masterpiece, rocking our house and community, and if you play it loud and lose yourself you may just feel him there with you…” – Matthew’s Family
QUIT TO PLAY CHESS TRACKLISTING
- Blame The Beret
- Babylon
- Crushin’
- Homegirl
- Busy
- 800MPH (feat. Wiki)
- Heroes And Villains
- Wave
- Red Carpet
- Walk Again
- Top Of The Class
- Calling
