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Album Details

• Artist: Zongamin
• Album: Zongamin
• Label: XL / Flesh
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-06-01

Zongamin is a new phenomenon that is lurking under the covers of a computer and a sampler. Susumu Mukai is the man behind this project that has recently caught the ears of the folks at XL Recordings and offered to co-release his debut album. Many will not know what to think with his electro-clash style that incorporates so many different elements of pop music. At times it's completely techno and others it ends up coming off more as a pop album. There is an obvious influence of Kraftwerk and other Kraut-rock styles but Zongamin has something else in mind for the listener. It's a ride down a bad dream at times. Listening to "Spiral", I am reminded of something that could have been out around the time of New Order (sans vocals) but there is the dark sample that keeps fading in and out of the mix that makes it seem evil. Then there are disjointed tracks like "Street Surgery" that have a bit of jazz influence in them. Just enough to leave you scratching your head. "Painless" is a full-on dance track that can easily shake anyone's booty. On the track "Whiplash", Zongamin decides to throw some vocals in the mix but it doesn't fare very well. And then "Trespasser" shows some signs of what Susumu is capable of. It's a very experimental track that has enough underlying rhythm to it to hint at where you should tap your foot. I have a feeling that we haven't heard the last from this young musician and to watch for future projects from him.

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