Day 60: Kimono Kult - Hiding in the Light

Artist:   Kimono Kult
Album:  Hiding in the Light
Source:  http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/kimono_kult-hiding_in_light_ep_stream

Pre-listening Notes:  This band features both Omar Rodriguez-Lopez from The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In and John Frusciante from The Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Apparently there is also four other members, but I'm not sure who they are.  The bio tells me that this "mixes jarring electronic experimentation with Spanish-language lyrics, intricate orchestrations, avant-jazz instrumentation and more."  I'm not sure what to make of that, so I'll just start it off.
       
Initial Reaction:  Oh, it means jarring electronic experimentation with Spanish-language lyrics.  Or at least, how it starts off.  It isn't entirely experimental, though.  There is some sort of a song structure in this song.  I do not speak Spanish, so I have no clue what is being said here.       

Random Thoughts:  Second song is similar to the first.  There is a very electronic feel to this.  This is not entirely what I expected to hear when I read the bio for this.  It isn't completely off-putting in it's experimentation, it does have a structure to it that I can almost feel a poppy vibe going on.  This is apparently an EP, I didn't realize that until just now.  The vocalist appears to either be a woman or a very high pitched man.  There isn't much in the way of guitars going on, I am reading it's mostly string arrangements from Omar.  This last song has been the best so far, it has the most straight forward structure and the instrumentation and electronics seem to balance the best.  There is a little more going on vocally to hook me too.   

Final Reaction:  This wasn't what I was expecting, then again the first time I listened to the Mars Volta I thought the same thing.  I didn't hate it, but the only song I actually really liked was the last one.  If the future of this band, or collective as they are calling it, ends up more like that, I could see myself interest.  Otherwise, I probably wouldn't listen again.    

Final Grade:  5.0/10