Kimonophonic / Dunaewsky69 - Split Single
[Awkward Silence]

Only Awkward Silence would dare to pair the musical output of a Canadian-born, New York-based Cultural Anthropology student with that of a former fighter pilot of the Ukrainian Special Forces and attempt to get away with it. But then, they weren’t one of John Peel’s favourite imprints for nothing, you know. Having championed the likes of Arovane and ISAN before they were famous, there is always a sense of anticipation when you delve into the latest offering from the Awkward Silence Split Series and number 25 continues these fine trends.

Justin Armstrong’s Kimonophonic guise has cropped up on a number of small labels before, including a fine 4-way split single with Yellow6, Absent Without Leave and Lope. His bright take on the laptronica genre, fuses a mass of electronic bleeps, with razor sharp beats, colourful, synthetic harmonies and subtle field recordings, such as the tranquil water sounds found in “On Swimming”. As nice as his more upbeat tracks are, it’s on the poignant “Another Wyoming” where Armstrong excels, forging a glacial melody with distant, chilled chatter for two bittersweet minutes.

Olexander Gladun is the Ukrainian fighter pilot in question and since departing from his military post in 1997, he has gone on something of a musical odyssey, journeying through the Kiev Death Metal and Grindcore scenes before landing in Electronica territories with his Dunaewsky69 project. The two tracks featured here are electronic with a difference though. Snarling with industrial background noise, spiralling drum machine beats and huge, gothic sounding synth textures (perhaps performed on vintage equipment salvaged from the break-up of the Soviet bloc?), the likes of “13.10.13” is a slab of crazy, stomping braindance, that is issued with such conviction that it leaves you questioning your own sanity. “Black Slon” only solidifies Gladun’s reputation as a loose cannon coming across like a deranged scientist remixing Bitstream’s back catalogue.

Tracklisting:

1. Kimonophonic - A Constellation of Machines
2. Kimonophonic - On Swimming
3. Kimonophonic - Another Wyoming
4. Dunaewsky69 - 13.10.13
5. Dunaewsky69 - Black Slon