It all started with a couple of friends making tunes in their bedroom. Now, British electronic duo
TIBASKO have been touted as upcoming stars by some of the biggest names in dance music.
Childhood friends since the age of 12, with a shared love of electronic music and production, Ken
Petalcorin and Andy Bowden first became acquainted in Hertfordshire’s Welwyn Garden City, but
neither could have dreamt they’d be where they are quite so soon.
In his teenage years, Bowden was entranced by minimal and underground electronic music –
learning to DJ during his time in the West Midlands at Worcester University. Former indie rock front
man/guitarist Petalcorin was born in the Philippines and spent time in Japan before moving to
Welwyn Garden City in 2000. With Andy’s knowledge of the dance music scene and Ken’s
production skills, they forged a partnership in 2018 and created the Omusaré label to showcase their
talent. Incredibly, the smooth Balearic sound of their self-released debut EP, Alma, exploded on
Spotify and the twosome were instantly discovered.
By the following year, Alma had collated 1 million Spotify streams, putting TIBASKO firmly on the
dance music map. Later that year, they signed to Billy and Al Webber’s Another Rhythm label, where
their sound began to morph into a more melodic techno/break beat style.
Throughout 2019/20, a string of singles and EPs such as Imperium, Vertigo, Resistance and Reverie,
showcased TIBASKO’s versatile alchemy of dance music styles. The duo were championed by the
likes of The Blessed Madonna, John Digweed, and Franky Wah, while being listed as ‘Ones to Watch’
for 2020 by both BBC Introducing and Kiss FM. The pair also seized attention from radio
heavyweights such as Annie Mac, Danny Howard, Ben Malone, and Pete Tong who named TIBASKO
as future stars for 2021 and had them accompany the accolade with a BBC Radio 1 ‘Future Stars’ mix.
May 2021 saw the release of singles The One, followed by Let Me Tell You in June, firmly establishing
TIBASKO’s epic, highly melodic electronic sound, seguing between breaks, electronica, techno and
trance. The One has been supported relentlessly by super-producer Diplo on SiriusXM, BBC Radio 1
and 1Xtra, with the duo also featuring on his Revolution dance music satellite channel with their
own TIBASKO Guest Room Mix. Further radio support arrived from Pete Tong, Jaguar, and Kiss FM’s
Ben Malone as the track peaked at #9 on Music Week’s Cool Cuts chart.
During lockdown TIBASKO live streamed exclusive sets for Jaguar’s ‘Utopia’ and, significantly, DJ Mag HQ
who regularly invite some of the world’s best DJs to perform. Meanwhile, Andy and Ken began their
post-Covid live comeback with a swathe of DJ shows including The Cause, Queen’s Yard Summer
Party, Creamfields Festival, Motion Bristol, Detonate Festival and their first European booking at the
Poney Club in Toulouse.
In October 2021, TIBASKO released their single Icaro hit new global heights in it’s reception,
achieving their first BBC Radio 1 Friday Feature, branded Sarah Story’s ‘Track ID’. A staple track in
the sets of Pan-Pot and supported by Rebuke, Syreeta, Jaguar and Pete Tong. This momentum led
them to Hibiscus, released soon after in in December. A staple display of melodic emotion, with a
switch up of sound design prowess. Both singles included as Billbaord ‘First Spins’, TIBASKO
finalised the year being featured in Notion, Mixmag, DJ Mag, and appeared on Beatport’s debut
TikTok Live Q&A.
Rightfully storming into 2022, with a Tobacco Dock NYD set no less, TIBASKO’s debut remix package
dropped from January to February. Icaro remixes from their close peer ABSOLUTE. and a favourite
producer artist of Ken & Andy’s, Australia-based Juno Mamba. Then came their BBC Radio 1 Mini
Mix, titled TIBASKO’s ‘Festival Fiesta’, which received outstanding praise and was cemented as one
of the most reactive mini mixes aired by Danny Howard on BBC Radio 1’s Friday night Dance Party.
The duo has been incredibly busy on the touring front, making their presence known at festivals and
venues such as Parklife, Snowbombing, Secret Garden Party, Hideout Festival, Boardmasters, NASS,
Forbidden Fruit, El Dorado, Cultivate Festival and Queens Yard Summer Party. After global support
of their music in 2022, TIBASKO continue to grow internationally with their live performances and
following.
In September 2022, TIBASKO flew to North American East Coast for the first show of their debut US
tour – a staple moment in their touring journey as they look to solidify their place amongst the
strongest emerging electronic music artists to be breaking out of the UK. Bringing their eclectic
electronica movement to Life Is Beautiful festival, TIBASKO performed in two shows in Las Vegas,
the second at Casa Bacardi. They spent the week in Hollywood based music studios crafting their
work, before flying to San Diego for CRSSD Fest and a subsequent after party.
Within that Hollywood based week, TIBASKO sculpted their most successful record to date. Written
and recorded in the span of one afternoon, ‘Hawt’, which was hailed as one of Mixmag’s best singles
of 2022, has drawn praise and plaudits from tastemakers, fellow artists and fans alike. With over
1m+ streams (and counting) globally the single is showing no signs of slowing down having
garnered support from Bonobo, I.Jordan, DJ Seinfeld, Barry Can’t Swim, Prospa, Bklava, Hammer and
Meg Ward to name but a few. The single has also received blanket support across the BBC from the
likes of Danny Howard, Sarah Story, Pete Tong, Arielle Free as well as love on Capital FM, KISS, Apple
1 Music, Rinse FM, RTE, George FM, Triple J, Radio Metro, Radio 105, One World, Top Radio, Versuz,
Ylex, DR P3, 538, KCRW and over 250 plays on SiriusXM (and many more global stations!).
Focusing on their new music and more live shows in 2023, TIBASKO’s eclectic menagerie of styles
promises further intriguing shifts in tone as they aspire to reach a deeper emotional connection with
their audience.