For the uninitiated, Monzen Nakacho is something like the two-step-gone-goth solo project of one Gary Short from sunny Worthing in the UK. And it’s the sort of music that you can only imagine coming from somewhere like that — parts end of the pier glee and lurid flourescence, but lacking the asceptic cleanliness of one of your fancy towns.
There’s a raft of touchstones for this record — somewhere in that kind of ’80s fetishist synth work leaning on your Italo-disco, Giorgio Moroder, Mute Records b-sides side of things. And he’s done the soundtrack work that fits in that world. Something’s not quite right about it though, in the best possible way — it’s all fairly regular, but it feels queasy as fuck. Songs don’t dote on one idea for too long — which oddly brings to mind very British dance music, your grime and (early doors) DnB, at least in terms of composition. Ideas persisting for a phrase or so and dropping out, never to return, with the kind of confidence that someone you’ve not heard of shouldn’t really possess.
Oh, also there’s an actual melodic sensibility. It’s not just swoopy synths and arpeggiated chords, there’s actual harmonic development. That shouldn’t be something I need to pick out, but somehow with a lot of this kind of music I get the sense that the excitement of “the sound” takes over from actual composition — whereas there’s plenty of places here (for instance, “Pulsating Ghost”) where a key change happens. Astonishing scenes. It’s probably the case that there’s a narrative to a lot of this music — knowing he’s done soundtrack work, and a title like “Pursuit” (all uptempo pulses and dramatic key shifts) definitely lends itself to that world of “imaginary sountracks”. But by no means as “floaty pish” as that might suggest.Somewhere in the Morodor-y synth record handbook there’s a page saying something like “EITHER leave the synth on a single setting OR make it really obvious that you’re an important producer”, but not for Herr Nakacho, who presumably lost that page — EQ fiddling and patches are sparing but effective. No fear of leaving a synth to do what it’s doing, but frequently chucking just enough processing to develop a sound. Like, a really keen ear and affection for his source material.
It’d be grand if this could get picked up by wherever these records get most traction these days. What he’s put into production is astonishing, but unfortunately this is in that realm of self-release that mightn’t get spotted in the synth-fancier’s almanac. It’s really a record that punches well above its weight. It’s currently on the Spotify but also it’s worth noting that the vinyl release is due any day now and features some really quite brilliant, and lurid, artwork by Worthing’s Bambi Stewart-Goodman which is worth the entry price alone.-Kev Nickells-
