Somewhere after the failed millennium crash, it fell into disrepute: the boom-bap beat. Then, about ten or twelve years later, a younger generation of producers asked themselves, »why not?« and went back to the old formula: you can pack anything between expertly dug kicks and snares, as long as the result is fresh, unique, atmospheric and coherent. Berlin-based producer Pimao is one of them. On his debut album »Duangkamol«, he conjures up Far Eastern musical interludes out of thin air, allowing unknown musical landscapes to flourish and blossom. Drawing on Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian sources, they deliver a stream of captivating and cohesive music with a decidedly foreign flair that consistently avoids the trap of exoticism. In other words, all references to travel brochures are avoided, which is why »Duangkamol« is not exactly the stuff of Madama Butterfly fantasies. Instead, the album is grist to the mill for those who like their instrumentals in dignified bpm territory. And that’s just as well. After all, it was Bruce Lee who once said, »Be like water«. A cliché at last? Yes, sorry. But apart from that, to reiterate: »Duangkamol« is a great album.
Amine Laje
Datsha
Rotary Phono Lab