You could say this was Super Furry Animals minus Gruff Rhys or you could say it was four of the most adventurous musicians of the last 30 years without their usual other, equally adventurous musical partner. Das Koolies -- Huw 'Bunf' Bunford, Cian CiarĂ¡n, Dafydd Ieuan, and Guto Pryce -- have served up DK.01, their debut full-length from this project. Their sound is out there funk, space indie, and whatever other term you can throw at this. This stuff stomps and thorbs in equal measure, delivered throughout with a confidence that's refreshing.
"Best Mindfuck Yet" is brash, a house sound for a new century, while "Out of this World" is late period SFA dressed up in new duds. Elsewhere, "Shakedown" is a lyrical ramble, a proto-symphonic stroll through through the stars, while "Collide" is a bit harsher. This one has an insistence that runs through lots of this material, enough that the smooth, sleek vibes are momentarily given some heft and menace. "Wired for Sound", a highlight here, is closer to late period Furries, but "Police Next Door" is more Kraftwerk with a dash of ELO. Most of this blends Krautrock, prog, and disco flavors up in a whole new stew. Yes, Furries fans will not feel entirely out of sorts, but they will have their minds bent a bit. "Best Mindfuck Yet" indeed!
DK.01 by Das Koolies is out now. Details below.
[Photo: Mark James]