Konx-om-Pax – Regional Surrealism
‘Regional Surrealism’ works largely like a film. Vignettes like ‘Isotonic Pool’ transition into larger more dramatic pieces like the deep ‘At Home With Mum and Dad’ which takes an early Aphex sounding ambient track and fills it with odd drama.
‘Sura-Tura-Gnosi-Cosi’ featuring mysterious US artist Steven Retchard is full of tape-hiss and unsettling spoken word, while ‘Zang-Tumb’ with guitar played by Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite works in bruised and twisted Ash-Ra Tempel territory.
Elsewhere ‘Slootering’ finds a sweet spot between Drexciya and Oneohtrix Point Never, while ‘Lagoon Leisure’ lets you get lost in musique concrete space and drops. Later on ‘Hurt Face’ rubs static and raw electronic textures together and ‘Chambers’ follows it up with a sunny glow.
The album finishes on the water-themed ‘Let’s Go Swimming’ which indulges in a slow-motion nostalgia, sending you away happy.