Minnesota duo Koo Koo Kanga Roo squeeze out new singles with Murs, UNICEF

Here are three names you probably never would've foreseen being wrapped together in an announcement for a new album: family-friendly Twin Cities dance duo Koo Koo Kanga Roo, Los Angeles indie-rap vet Murs and UNICEF.

All three are part of the roll-out for the new Koo Koo Kanga Roo record "Slow Clap," due out May 21 and picking up steam with this week's release of the summer-yearning single "Ice Cold Lemonade." The song features Murs as guest vocalist spitting lemony verses alongside Koo Koo gurus Bryan Atchison and Neil Olstad.

Well-known locally for his collaborations with Slug as the lovelorn duo Felt, Murs also appears in the tune's fun "dance-a-long" music video, which includes an easy-to-follow routine that kids should have down pat by the time the Koo Koo crew starts performing again this summer or fall.

Bryan and Neil are also teaming with UNICEF to more immediately entertain pandemic-stymied children. They released the video for another sugary song from the new album, "Sticky Icky," in conjunction with the UNICEF Kid Power program, which is hosting a contest for educators that includes a grand-prize video appearance by the duo.

Now available for pre-order via kookookangaroo.com, "Slow Clap" was produced with Minneapolis beatmaker and super-dad Lazerbeak (Doomtree, Lizzo, Shredders). Sims and Megan Ran are also listed as guests on the record.

Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658

@ChrisRstrib