As a fan of bands like Ghost Of The Avalanche and Oaf (bands consisting of simply a drummer and a bassist), it only seemed natural that an artist such as Khompa would pique my interest, as it essentially just features a drummer! An audiovisual live act, which is a solo project from Stearica’s Davide Compagnoni, the main elements of Khompa is a drummer, a drum kit, four drum triggers, a laptop and a stepsequencer – so all music is essentially performed on the drums, with each drum controlling a different element of the sound, such as synthesisers and samplers.
Rather aptly titled The Shape Of Drums To Come, this is an album that is certainly unlike anything you may have come across before but everything about it just works – and you definitely experience a feeling of fascination and intrigue when you listen to it for the first time, as you wonder exactly how such sounds are able to be achieved! The repeating elements of the album work well (and will certainly get stuck in your head after you’re done listening!) and as The Shape Of Drums To Come is rhythmically constructed, it will inevitably get your foot tapping along in time as it progresses.
One of the more stand-out pieces on the album is third track The Shape. There’s a wonderfully funky vibe to it, coupled with some great melodies and some wonderfully groovy little drum sections, and the heavier repeating section in the latter half of the song really helps in ending the track with a bang!
As a whole, this is a unique and engaging album. Although admittedly it would perhaps be best appreciated by you watching it being performed live, it’s still a fantastic listen and Khompa is absolutely a project you should watch out for.
8/10
