Kikok – Sauna

Magnetron

Pavel Fedoseev, erstwhile drummer for Russian psychsters Gnoomes, somehow manages to find the time whilst playing and touring with that band to record solo material as Kikok. Hidden away out of trouble’s reach in his hometown of Perm — which is a twenty-two-hour train journey from Moscow — he constructs escapist electronica working as a complete reaction to a city which he himself describes as “dirty, boring and rough”.

Choosing to spend time holed up with a selection of electronic instruments rather than risk the gritty streets, he has produced another release for Fatima Yamaha‘s Magnetron label. Sauna follows hot on the heels of 2018’s LP-length EP and continues his apparent attempts to merge “MBV with Italo-disco”. I feel the results here are a little different to that description, and are more like the smiling face to his home town’s furrowed frown.

For a drummer to concentrate on solely electronic music is quite an interesting idea, but what it does mean is that there is plenty of rhythm here underpinning most of the ten tracks, and in places really attempting to sew two rhythmic constructs together to provide one intensive whole. The main feeling of listening through the album is one of intense joy. You can’t help but smile first and then start moving to most of Sauna as the Euro-bounce freedom shown here is eminently joyful.

Opener “Ekta 1” has a synth beat that does hark back to the 1980s. I kept being reminded of Colourbox‘s world cup theme. It has that sort of irresistible jaunt, but is underpinned with some hefty beats, and fizzing synths add texture that comes and goes. There is something almost naïve about the upbeat nature of most of the tracks here. As an electronic artist in this day and age, it is very easy to be swayed by the state of the world and find yourself drawn down a darker path; but here, Pavel resolutely turns his back on that and ploughs a cheery furrow of good times and dancing.

There is the sound of electronic sheep on “Kaiya” and the circular repetition of “Kokki” has a touch of Klaus Schulze about it, but its subtle nod to techno means that it is equally at home on the dancefloor. The beats are a little more serious on “O Cheri Cheri”, and the deep throb and insistent hi-hat set the pulse racing. Old friend Sasha Piankov lends his vocal to “Das” and they have a sweetness and positivity that fits perfectly with the punchy Eurosynth backing. The out of phase synths and cut and scattered vocals as the song progresses only add to the sense of humour and joy at play here. “Pu Ma” has a thumping techno beat, the most insistent so far, and Oriental synth sounds give “Pehl” something fresh to stand out from what has come before.

Final track “Ekta II” is where the percolating rhythmic interplay is shown at its most enjoyable, the two writhing beats conjoining at points and then splitting again, daring you to try and follow one as the other slips just out of your grasp. The nausea-inducing synth and some perfectly weighted extraneous sounds make this a great way to see the album out.

There are various influences listed on the press release, but they are kind of irrelevant as the playful nature and rhythmic insistence does allow this album to stand on its own. Gnoomes had better watch out and hope that Kikok doesn’t grow too big.

-Mr Olivetti-