steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Cow'P / Kema Keur

Split 12"

ADAADAT Records

Genres: experimental electronica, video game music

ADAADAT
PO Box 39025
London, England
E2 8WP

Mar 3 - 9 2003

This new ADAADAT record is a beautiful split 12" filled to the brim with the best computer game musork you could ever hope for.  It features Tokyo's Cow'P (aka Furuzu Nakano) on side A and Adaadat co-founder Kena Keur (aka Bjorn Hatleshov) on side B.

The first half sees Cow'P producing some really nice glitch electronic stuff using his Nintendo Gameboy as his sole sound source.  The resulting pieces are really demented, complex bleepy soundscapes that sound like Autechre played through the halls of Bowser's Castle in Super Mario World.  Each track is made up of nice 8-bit beats and bleeps - it's amazing what Nakano can sculpt out of those few sounds that come out of his handheld instrument.  The melodies aren't as obvious as one may hope for, but there are lots of really inspired parts nonetheless.  It's best when he goes for the really low-pitched, buzzing sounds that vibrate your speakers.

The other side sees Kena Keur taking a more poppy, melodic approach to his tracks.  There's a definite resemblance to the complex, challenging music Autechre exposed us to on LP5.  Bubbly, glitchy beats create wordlessly complex rhythms as synthy electronics shift and bleep in time.  This is strong, toe-tappable music that stays in your memory for awhile.  It's clear that Bjorn Hatleshov is a very talented musician.

Altogether, this is a wonderful experimental electronic split by a couple of extremely gifted musicians.  Recommended.

85%

Fun Fact: The beautiful do-it-yourself rub-down transfer artwork that comes with this record was designed by fizzyeye, who also did the cover art for the Wagon Christ records (Musipal, Receiver, Tally Ho!).

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 8 songs, distributed by Smallfish, released 2003]