Welcome to the dual natures that exist within the SKIP&DIE universe; filled with cosmic psychedelia, metamorphic body shaking, socio-political undertones and an infinite opposition to the status quo. Their debut album “Riots in the Jungle” was recorded on a transdisciplinary trip through  South Africa (lead singer Cata.Pirata’s homeland) and then finalized in the electronic valhalla of Amsterdam. The group consists of Jori Collignon on keys and FX, artist & vocalist Catarina Aimée Dahms aka Cata.Pirata, Gino Bombrini on percussion/guitar and Daniel Rose on sitar/guitar/saz. Genre-blending dub with digital cumbia, kwaito with ghettotech rap, punk with baile funk and afrofuturistic beats, SKIP&DIE’s live show is set to start a riot in any (urban) jungle.
 
SKIP&DIE is a dodecahedron; a metamorphic blur of body shaking, mammoth beats, bassy dance music, providing a backdrop to catchy, sultry riot-starting vocals. - Cairo Scene, EG

Rewind
After the release of "Riots in the Jungle" and the first string of live shows which followed,the live band has grown into a tight and vibrant group featuring Jori Collignon (percussion, synths), Daniel Rose (sitar, guitar, saz), Gino Bombrini (percussion) and Cata.Pirata's vocals and phenomenal stage presence. Thanks to the group's relentless energy, SKIP&DIE was the highlight of the famous French festival Les Transmusicales de Rennes in December 2012 and went on to conquer the biggest stages and festivals in Europe: Eurosonic, The Great Escape, Les Femmes s’en mêlent, Le Printemps de Bourges, Where The Wild Things Are, Amsterdam Dance Event, Art Rock and Europavox, to name but a few. Summer 2013 festivals included Sonar (ES), Solidays and Vieilles Charrues (FR), Parkpop (NL), Paléo (CH), Pohoda (SK), Esperanzah & Les Ardentes (BE), Sziget (HU) and many more.

A special edition of the band's album "Riots in the Jungle" was released in June 2013. As a bonus, it includes two tracks from their 1st single ("Muti Murder" and "Get Your Braai On", which originally came out digitally on Dutch electronic music label Bmkltsch, and are still two highlights of their live set), as well as a previously- unreleased track, "Zumzuma". This special edition is available as a limited edition 2LP (gatefold sleeve) and as a 2CD jewelbox. In addition to the three songs, the bonus CD also includes three SKIP&DIE videos.

At the end of 2013, SKIP&DIE were back on the record release front with “Remixed Riots”, a sparkling mini-album containing no less than 8 reworks of SKIP&DIE tracks by the following producers/DJs: Bomba Estéreo (CO), Frikstailers (AR), Wiwek (NL), RipTide (NL), Crypto.Jori (NL), Fybe:one (UK), MPS Pilot (NL) & Bart B More (NL).

More about SKIP&DIE

United by their love for Tropical and Global Bass music, hip-hop, electronica and a broad spectrum of sounds from all over the planet, Catarina and Jori started writing songs and playing shows together in 2010. Catarina was born and raised in South Africa, and started moving around as a teenager, following her social activist filmmaker parents. She's lived in the Azores, the Netherlands, Ibiza and later also in Argentina and in the UK (where she completed her studies in visual and performance arts), learning to speak several new languages along the way. She then settled in Amsterdam, where she developed multiple creative activities, working as a visual artist, an editor-in-chief (for youth-literature mag Spunk), curator… until her passion for music eventually prevailed: she dived headlong into songwriting & performing and started developing her own unique style.

As for Jori, he started out in music as a kid, learning to play jazz standards on his dad's electric piano every morning before going to school… He switched to electronics after being inspired by The Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, Daft Punk and many more, and honed his skills as a musician playing with successful Dutch bands such as C-Mon&Kypski and Nobody Beats The Drum. Over the years, he's developed into an exceptionally gifted arranger and producer.
After an initial string of explosive shows and the release of a limited-edition single on a small Dutch label, garnering SKIP&DIE a devoted following, the pair set out to record a full-length album. Catarina – who has never lost touch with her homeland, where she often makes extended stays – wanted to write and record basic tracks in South Africa. After extensive research, she reached out to a series of young, up-and-coming musicians she wished to collaborate with: rappers, rockers, electronic and traditional artists. SKIP&DIE soon embarked on an road trip in the regions of Capetown, Johannesburg & more, spending a couple of days with each of those collaborators, on their own turf, in order to write/record a track with them.
Catarina and Jori describe this adventure as "a magical experience" which lasted for two months, during which they met and worked with young South African peers such as vocalist Gazelle (with whom they share a common love for intertwining politics and dance music), hip hop crew Driemanskap, rappers Emza & Magebz, experimental rock musician (and BLK JKS collaborator) João Orecchia, the Season Marimba Stars & more.

Back in Europe, Catarina & Jori developed their sound working with various musicians in the studio. Meanwhile, the band's live line-up gradually extended from the original duo to a 4-piece band, with the adjunction of Gino Bombrini (percussion), Daniel Rose (guitar, sitar, saz), who all guested on the album. So did several brass & woodwind players from the Amsterdam Klezmer Band, who were brought in to add some Middle-Eastern and Balkanic touches.
 
This profusion of interesting guests cannot however overshadow the fact that "Riots in the Jungle" is first and foremost the brainchild of the duo at the core of SKIP&DIE. The album consists of a wonderfully diverse and shimmering collection of songs, in which the outstanding production work, the nasty beats, the mysterious field recordings, the guests' performances and the inventive arrangements are all crowned by Cata.Pirata's incisive lyrics and mesmerising vocals.

Cata.Pirata has also naturally taken charge of the important visual aspects of SKIP&DIE's output: she's creating all the artwork and has directed 5 videos for the band.