Kim Ki O – Dans (mini LP, 523 copies) SOLD OUT
Dance with us…
The Turkish girl band Kim Ki O was already present on the Enfant Terrible compilation Radio Resistencia. Next to that they released two very limited cd-r’s by themselves and already toured in Scandinavia.
‘Dans’ is the official debut of Kim Ki O and features six lo-fi pop songs which at times are extremely catchy but never too easy or slick in anyway. At other times the music is more tranquil and becomes hypnotic dream pop that will soothe you, but hasn’t a single dull moment.
Kim Ki O’s music is perfect lo-fi indie pop with that vibrant touch of the modern metropolis Istanbul they come from. Very evident are the New Order inspired melancholy melodies, the
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone like cheap and charming electronic rhythms and that special 4AD sort of quality throughout the songs.
With this debut mini album the band launches themselves into the world of music. Kim Ki O is for sure a band to keep an eye on!
Tracklisting:
A1 27.01, Berlin
A2 Herkes Evine
A3 Zorla, Zorlar
B1 Bu Şarkıyı Çok Seversin Sen
B2 Yalnızlık Ömür Boyu
B3 Hayır Hayır Hayır Hayır Hayır Ha…
Selected press quotes:
“…Niemand hoeft te vrezen voor Orientaals exotisme of goedkopere na-aperij. We horen integendeel catchy droompop die wordt gedragen door de baslijntjes van Joy Division/New Order aangevuld met minimale synths en de breekbare vocalen waarmee bands op het 4AD label eind jaren 1980, begin jaren 1990 zo graag koketteerden. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan Lush of het minder bekende en al lang vergeten Swallow. De catalogus van het Duitse Morr Music –tenminste de eerste relevante jaren -vormt een andere relevante referentie. Voor wie niet zo ver in de tijd wil teruggaan, zijn Casiotone For The Painfully Alone of Beach House handige aanknopingspunten. Te ontdekken juweeltje.” (Gonzo Circus)”…Kim Ki O klinkt namelijk als een smakelijk ijsje: zoet en koud, maar dan wel vol echte suiker; vergelijkbaar met Turks fruit. New Order is nooit ver weg, maar het zijn vooral 4AD-groepen als Cocteau Twins die langswaaien in deze zwierige pop noir. Een vergelijking met het recentere Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is ook op zijn plek.” (KindaMuzik)
“Kim Ki O is a duo from Istanbul that gathers the seemliest ghosts of past eras and threads them into soft and minimal tapestries where every specter is stitched perfectly in its place. There’s delicate, high-end new wave synthesized alongside shiny white shoegaze vocal harmonies and always throughout, the long-form minimal planks of kraut’s godfathers of dance holding it together like sinewy scaffolding.” (Impose Magazine)
“On this new limited edition LP-only release Dans, Turkish duo Kim Ki O presents us with some luscious early ’80s-infused electronic sounds. These ladies (Ekin Sanac doing synth, keys, vox and beats and Berna Gol on bass, vox and beats) started doing music together in the summer of 2006 and have had a number of self-released CDRs and compilation tracks before doing this full-length for Enfant Terrible. The name of the band means “Who is that anyway” in Turkish and it reflects the ethereal nature of the sounds. With a lovely early ’80s slow and somber electronic vibe (think Joy Division) combined with floaty, minimal lady vocals (sort of 4AD-ish like Cocteau Twins and Lush) , it’s similar to a lightly frosted cupcake that’s sweet, but not saccharine.” (KFJC 89.7 FM)
“Dans un registre plus tranquille et surtout venant de bien plus loin, nous vous présentons également aujourd’hui le groupe turc Kim Ki O. Contrairement à ce que les médias souvent trop américano ou euro-centristes nous laissent parfois soupçonner, le duo féminin nous prouve qu’il existe une scène underground bien active à Istanbul. Avec Dans, la formation nous donne six pistes aux influences très variées : un son que l’étiquette qualifie de indie lo-fi et qui a reçu des échos favorables de la critique. Aux drum machines secs se joignent des nappes planantes de synthétiseurs, des lignes de basse façon The Cure(dont l’influence se nettement sentir sur toute leur musique) et une certaine aura de mélancolie qui nous rappelle un peu The Organ. Nous aimons beaucoup la piste instrumentale 27.01, Berlin, inspirée; quant à Bu Şarkıyı Çok Seversin Sen, elle illustre leur facette plus rythmée et pop.” (Blackout Musique)
“…As they (the band, ed.) explain, “The name of the album here indicates ‘dancing’ as a social way of existence, which connects to the themes of the songs on this mini-album, such as the feelings of loneliness in massive cities, crowded spaces, fears, rapes, insecurity in friendships, etc…” ‘Herkes Evine’ isn’t entirely my favourite track on the album, but that might simply be because the album needs to be listened to in its entirety as only then does the mood grow and grow, sweep you under. Hence, the final track, the sumptuous ‘Hayır Hayır Hayır Hayır Hayır Ha…’, is the stand-out for me, as it’s a consummation of everything that went before.”(Collapse Board)
“…Synth sounds along with a pulsating bass guitar usually are the core structure of the song where basic drum beats and dreamy vocals paint the emotions of two girls which are living into and Middle Eastern metropolis. Tracks like the instrumental opening “27.01 Berlin” and the following “Herkes evine” are pop but also hypnotic and it’s like listening to New Order playing melancholic minimal wave into a bedroom.” (Chain DLK)
“Denn KIM KI O beweisen, dass richtig guter Minimal/ Indie-Electro-Pop auch aus der Türkei kommen kann. Die sechs Lo-Fi-Elektro-Pop-Songs bestechen durch eine charmante 4AD-Qualität und deutlich NEW ORDER-inspirierte melancholische Melodien. Trotzdem haben die Songs das Zeug, Tanzflächen zu füllen. Eben ein gelungener Spagat zwischen modernem Indie-Elektro-Pop und klassischem Wave/ Minimal. KIM KI O ist damit mit Sicherheit eine Band, die man im Auge… beziehungsweise im Ohr behalten sollte.” (Terrorverlag)
“Wirklich einwandfreier 80er Wave-Sound, der wunderbar ins Ohr geht und problemlos auch auf Factory Records hätte erscheinen können. Vielleicht die schönste kleine Musiküberraschung des Jahres 2010.”(Backagain)