With the release of the official video for “One by One”, Kobo Town bring vivid imagery to one of the most pointed and poignant tracks from their 2022 album Carnival of the Ghosts. Led by Trinidadian-Canadian songwriter Drew Gonsalves, the Toronto-based group continues its masterful fusion of calypso, dub, ska, and reggae—anchored here in a sharp critique of digital-age disinformation.

Musically, “One by One” evokes vintage Caribbean styles while layering in subtle electronic textures and a loping, skank-heavy groove. It’s deceptively breezy on the surface, yet beneath that sunlit rhythm lies a warning. Gonsalves’ lyrics are incisive, tracing the creeping influence of lies passed off as truth, and how societies fracture “one by one” under the weight of falsehoods and fear. There’s a lyrical cleverness that channels calypsonian tradition: not just storytelling, but sly political commentary dressed in danceable form.

The verses unpack how rumour and spectacle overtake truth. “Was it true? What is the use / Of a reputation when we want to be amused?” Gonsalves questions not only the content of public discourse, but the motives behind it. In a media landscape where moral outrage is often performative, “Everyone with a noble intention to declare” becomes less about justice and more about visibility. The song lands its final blow with quiet precision: “The more we try to step out, the more we fall in line.” Even rebellion, it suggests, has become part of the script.

Now accompanied by an official video shot in Montreal’s Mile End, the single gets a visual counterpart that reflects its performance-driven energy. Directed by Mariano Franco and filmed during the summer of 2024, the clip focuses on the band themselves: no added narrative, just Kobo Town playing the song with the same intent and clarity that defines their sound.

The power of “One by One” lies in its precision: a song about the slow, steady spread of misinformation, performed with purpose, without spectacle.

You can stream, listen to and purchase your copy of Carnival of the Ghosts HERE