Manikkomio

Raul Acosta, widely recognized for his contributions to Oro Solido, conceived Manikkomio as a project fusing merengue with club-ready house while centering attention on a striking visual device: every singer appears in a hockey mask modeled after the Friday the 13th films, a choice that directly echoes the ensemble’s name. In 1997 Acosta formed the act in his native Dominican Republic by recruiting five physically imposing young vocalists—Orlando, Luis Rafael, Eric, Tito, and Joel. Their 1998 self-titled debut yielded the club favorites “Piensa en Mi” and “El Kolmo.” The follow-up, Manikkomio International, arrived in 1999 with greater overall cohesion and delivered the act’s most successful single to date, “Lokko Enamorado.” Before issuing their third collection, Manikkomio 2001—subtitled “There Baaaack!” [sic]—the group moved from Sonolux to Platano; that album generated the further successes “Ya Tu Sabes” and “La Jonronera.”