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kleemar / TRUS! – Banana Split

kleemar / TRUS! – Banana Split

So here’s the next one from one of my favorite labels from the east: Moonlee Records from Ljubljana. This time they joined forces with God BlessThis Mess, another label from Slovenia for a split with the bands kleemar and TRUS!, titled Banana Split.

Never afraid to try something new, this record combines IDM (intelligent dance music) from Matej Koncan (alias kleemar) and the postpunk/indie sound of TRUS!, who are known for their unorthodox ideas. They released their debut in comic book form last year, titled ‘First Step’.

So what we have here is not a hardcore record per se, it’s a split between two bands that are doing whatever they like. How much more punkrock can you get? Side A belongs to kleemar, making cracking electronics with haunting voice samples. A beat like you can hear in the productions of the Glitch Mob drags on the track to an almost seven minute lenght on opener ‘Bored Of Canada’. The song is an obvious jest at shoegaze/electro pioneers Boards Of Canada.

The tracks ‘4M’ and ‘Made in My Hand’ keep that vibe up for another two long tracks. The order is well chosen, the laidback sound of kleemar warms up the listeners for TRUS!. Obviously, the other way around would be a disaster for the electronic music renegade. ‘Movie Star’ picks up the slow pace and curtains of sound in its intro. The vocalists sing in a hallucinatory way, reminding us of the past age of way to much drugs and drifting sounds.

That slow, full sound reminds you of Sonic Youth with the feminine power of Siouxie & The Bahnshees. A captivating musical feast of full on layers of guitar, but also the gentle electronics and vocals. Playful songs like ‘Phantasma’ and ‘Seven Worlds’ show the bands’ creativity.

Noise like that of Cabaret Voltaire opens up ‘What Do You Do’, final song of the record. This is a hammering, rhythmic song of two and a half minutes that lets you hear what else TRUS! can do. A fun and interesting record, which apparently will see a follow up in some way or another.

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