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Sun OK Papi K.O., "Orchestre Philharmonok"
Laurent Baudoux of Belgium's Scratch Pet Land goes solo with this boisterous new project. Taking the kitchen sink approach to cheap electronics, Baudoux throws gameboys and primitive keyboards alongside guitars to create songs that are frequently catchy and fun.
The album is mostly free of self-consciousness and is dominated by a childlike sense of play. Video games are a common point of reference on many of these tracks, but for the most part they're used as a compositional element with enough conviction to keep their sources from being overwhelming or distracting. Additionally, the appearance of Quentin Hanon's distorted guitar on several tracks lends the songs an edgy excitement when necessary.
Among the album's highlights are the guest spots from Japan's MC Illreme, whose energetic contributions are a thrill to follow despite the fact that I don't understand Japanese. The best of these is easily "Rasclica." MC Illreme's rapping over Baudoux's insistent heavy beats makes the song the album's most captivating. While the shifting focus keeps things unpredictable, the album hits an occasional lull. "Waisvisz Beat" contains some squeaks and adds a beat later but nevertheless seems a little directionless, while "OK" sounds too much like an unadulterated video game soundtrack to hold my interest. Things pick up with the return of MC Illreme, whose infectious enthusiasm rescues the album from its brief bout of the doldrums and restores it to its former glory.
Baudoux gets the most out of his instruments, and his innocent attitude toward playing them infuses the songs with enough vitality to keep the album entertaining apart from a digression or two. There is very little attitude or pretension at work here, and that goes a long way toward making this album the enjoyable, spirited romp that it is.
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