L.E.A.K.:
Untitled
Kosmophon:
Kosmophon
Mutter
This
is the second collaboration between the two Swedish labels Fin
de Siècle Media and Inhospitable
Lab (See Des
Esseintes / Diskrepant review).
Opening this 3-track disc is an untitled ensemble by L.E.A.K. Some of
you will remember the from their debut album "The
Old Teahouse" on Cold
Meat Industry back in 2001. I never did get round to getting that.
So, the new, much anticipated L.E.A.K. should have been well-cooked by
now. Well, it's a little too much of a stew for me and tries to cover
too many areas. There's lots of reversed samples, clanking around and
even some changing there. But, weighing in at 14 minutes, I got a little
tired somewhere round the 5 minute mark. But hold on... stick around to
5:30 and it starts to get interesting! A flash of power electronics and
some great rhythmic percussion. This track could do with a lot more of
the great echoing beat which ensues and a lot less of the irritating grating
samples and violin-wrenching sounds which persist almost throughout, cheapening
this effort somewhat. The last 4 minutes are full of wonderful dark ambience
and slow rhythms - a lot more of this and I'd be happy.
Kosmophon is a new side project of "British cult soundtrack fetishists"
Caesar Romero. Now, if you've ever heard Caesar Romero, this is nothing
like it. This, my friend, is not "spaghetti western & sleeze";
this is something much better. It is, indeed, hypnotic and by God, worth
buying this release for on its own. The track 'Kosmophon' comes
with fantastic electric rhythms, pulsating and scratching, weaving in
and around one another. High-pitched samples find their way into the mix
and the whole thing seamlessly builds up and down again. This is one undulating
masterpiece; very addictive and very listenable. 'Mutter', the
last track of the EP, promises more of the same pulsating rhythms and
doesn't fail. This track is harder listening in places due to the really
high-pitched samples but the overall mood is one of dark rhythmic noise.
It's not as danceable as, say, Ant-Zen,
but will definitely appeal to this camp and those into the Divine
Comedy label as well. I'm very much looking forward to the hinted
full album by Kosmophon later this year!
JLM