The title of Kermukine‘s debut album; ‘Warm Decorated Time’ seems abstract and confusing at first, but once you’ve had a listen it is well suited to this collection of tracks. Resounding with the stylings of Tycho, Kermukine is purely electronic – so if you’re into rhyming lyrics or poppy choruses then this isn’t the band for you. If you love music that you can connect to, then listen on.
Warm Decorated Time is clever in the way that it operates as whole. Intriguing replication of techniques creates the sense of a theme; the un-breaking bass line through each piece, and the trance like repetition of riffs and sounds. Divergences in the melody, effects and sound bytes distinguishes each track, whilst changes in tempo create a sense of travelling.
The first two tracks, ‘North Circular’ and ‘Great White Planet’, have catchy riffs and draw the listener in. ‘Planes of Nature’ has a sense of continuity from the previous tracks but the subtle increase in bass and variation in melody creates movement. These early tracks remain light but by the fourth picks up the pace and mood and is uplifting.
‘Sky Lanterns’ and ‘Manasa’ winds it back a bit – with the bass becoming heavy and lethargic. It is as if Kermukine has exhausted himself with the relatively speediness of track four.
‘Desistance’ closes the set and is, in my opinion, the winner in this album. Although it starts off slower, the introduction has a greater sense of purpose. There is pace to the treble, the bass is deep and conclusive and there are more layers of sound than the other tracks. The melody takes some time to come in but when it does, despite being simple and repetitive, is smooth and fulfilling. The percussion section takes over here and carries it through. Most of the song is spent putting all the elements together, and the final product only actually plays for around fourty seconds, operating as a little farewell to the listener.
Overall this album must be listened to as a whole – not individually. This is a fantastic piece of music that demonstrates expert artistic expression. This is a sure go-to album for relaxation and deep thoughts.
Rating: ★★★★
Pick up a copy of the album now via Kermukine‘s Bandcamp.
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