Kero Kero Bonito - Civilisation II EP REVIEW
This cover is setting off my fight or flight reflexes, and I’m not entirely sure why.
Kero Kero Bonito is a band that rarely gets talked about enough. One of the most consistent bands in recent years, the trio of vocalist Sarah Bonito and instrumentalists Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled haven’t put out that many projects. If you’re into internet culture, you’ve certainly heard their track “Flamingo,” which I’ll link here. Along with this, their music has also been pretty rooted in video game music, even contributing to the theme song of the viral game, Bugsnax. Outside of this EP, they’ve put out two albums and two EPs, all of them ranging from pretty good to absolutely stunning. They haven’t missed yet, and Civilisation II is a pretty daunting task. It’s only three tracks long, and when you make a project this short, there’s a lot of pressure. Even though I know how consistent KKB can be, I was a little worried getting into this. Has KKB upended my expectations yet again? Let’s see.
Let me just get out of the way that Lobban and Bulled’s production here is stunning, as always. It’s a brilliant blend of pop, electronic, and dance that’s unique to KKB, but here, it’s turned up to an 11 and feels epic. The lead single “The Princess and The Clock” is a bop through and through, and “21/04/20” has an oddly somber tone that reminds me of a city-pop song. The EP’s centerpiece and closer “Well Rested,” though, is one of the best tracks KKB have ever put out. This feels like KKB is attempting to make a Daft Punk track but blowing up everything about it, and it somehow works. I haven’t even gotten to Sarah’s vocals, which are stunning. Her voice just has that innocent tone that has worked in the past, but when taking on darker themes like the impending apocalypse (whether it’s natural or done by humanity), it’s a perfect, chilling contradiction that makes everything more unique.
As I said, Kero Kero Bonito has been one of the most consistent bands working right now, and Civilisation II has added to that hot streak. Even for such a short project, this is one of KKB's most ambitious projects yet and just gets me excited for whatever they do next. Keep doing what you do, guys. I cannot wait.
9/10
Listen here
YouTube Music
Civilisation II is a Polyvinyl release.
Kero Kero Bonito is a band that rarely gets talked about enough. One of the most consistent bands in recent years, the trio of vocalist Sarah Bonito and instrumentalists Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled haven’t put out that many projects. If you’re into internet culture, you’ve certainly heard their track “Flamingo,” which I’ll link here. Along with this, their music has also been pretty rooted in video game music, even contributing to the theme song of the viral game, Bugsnax. Outside of this EP, they’ve put out two albums and two EPs, all of them ranging from pretty good to absolutely stunning. They haven’t missed yet, and Civilisation II is a pretty daunting task. It’s only three tracks long, and when you make a project this short, there’s a lot of pressure. Even though I know how consistent KKB can be, I was a little worried getting into this. Has KKB upended my expectations yet again? Let’s see.
Let me just get out of the way that Lobban and Bulled’s production here is stunning, as always. It’s a brilliant blend of pop, electronic, and dance that’s unique to KKB, but here, it’s turned up to an 11 and feels epic. The lead single “The Princess and The Clock” is a bop through and through, and “21/04/20” has an oddly somber tone that reminds me of a city-pop song. The EP’s centerpiece and closer “Well Rested,” though, is one of the best tracks KKB have ever put out. This feels like KKB is attempting to make a Daft Punk track but blowing up everything about it, and it somehow works. I haven’t even gotten to Sarah’s vocals, which are stunning. Her voice just has that innocent tone that has worked in the past, but when taking on darker themes like the impending apocalypse (whether it’s natural or done by humanity), it’s a perfect, chilling contradiction that makes everything more unique.
As I said, Kero Kero Bonito has been one of the most consistent bands working right now, and Civilisation II has added to that hot streak. Even for such a short project, this is one of KKB's most ambitious projects yet and just gets me excited for whatever they do next. Keep doing what you do, guys. I cannot wait.
9/10
Listen here
YouTube Music
Civilisation II is a Polyvinyl release.
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