Residents at Tokyo’s legendary Womb, Drunken Kong has notched up a string of quality releases on labels including Tronic, Terminal M and Octopus over the years, reinforcing themselves as one of Japan’s most treasured techno acts.
The duo has a distinct sound signature, as dreamy melodic and vocal elements rub shoulders with the pair’s trademark groove-orientated rhythms to create hypnotic techno outings that span the breadth of the genre, from heads down rollers to peak-time pleasure.
Their maiden outing on Drumcode ‘I Want To See’ is an inspiring four-track work that lays down this sonic manifesto, with each track built around different vocal samples used to skilful effect.
The EP opener ‘It’s Then’ brings atmosphere in spades, mixing up a chugging bottom end, a sleek synth line and a sublime vocal that simmers throughout. The title track is another late-night dancefloor affair that shifts between function and fun, as a slick mix of polished grooves and hypnotising melodies build towards a thrilling crescendo. ‘That’s It’ brings peak-time energy against a plump electro backbone and ’90-tinged vocal. The EP rounds out with evocative ‘Need It’, as a stirring vox and metallic drumlines propel the track forward.
Drunken Kong – I Want To See EP is out now via Drumcode.
