Zongamin
Zongamin
(XL Recordings)
Reported Thursday, May 29 2003
Courtesy of Jonty_Adderley @ www.skrufff.com
"It's most song-free but I think this is a pop music album. Or at least pop music as I like it to sound."
So says Japanese expatriate Londoner Susumi Mukai, who through his alter ego Zongamin, has found himself embraced by achingly hip tastemakers including Trevor Jackson, Andy Weatherall and FC Kahuna. Or more specifically the punk/funk/ electro stew of music he releases as Zongamin.
Kicking off with a take-no-prisoners 2 minute call to arms assault on the Arrrows rock & roll anthem Make Love Not War, Mukai paves the way for a seamless slide onto the dance floor via Serious Trouble, his debut release that first signalled his serious intent. Reminiscent of early Daft Punk (ie when they were still magical) the track is minimal, funky and fine, which is no doubt why his label XL are set to re-release it on Monday with an additional remix by Dexter. Spiral pursues a similar Daft Punk tinged disco vibe, though a distinctive synth line adds melody for a structure that's almost rock style in its verse/ chorus pattern.
Littered with guitar lines, wah wah style riffs, walking basslines and phat disco beats, the entire album sits seamlessly within the punk/ funk school, mining the crossover territory between rock and dance that continues to deliver modern music's richest nuggets. It's also highly listenable and as Mukai puts it, pop music. Or more appropriately, quality pop music.
Zongamin-Zongamin is out now on XL Records.
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