Kiku & Blixa Bargeld & Black Cracker - Suzhou / It's All The Rage [Everest Records]

Put out on the circuit via the Swiss Everest Records label on September 25th, 2k26 is "Suzhou / It's All The Rage", a two piece, two part album which sees Kiku, an avantgarde project founded by composer and trumpet player Yannick Barman alongside percussionist Cyril Regamey, collaborating with Blixa Bargeld of Einstürzende Neubauten in its first half - "Suzhou" - whilst vocalist x rapper Black Cracker is taking over for "It's All The Rage". With four tracks each, or one entire side of the LP for the vinyl version, the approach is well balanced from the get go - with Bargeld's proven vocal approach and oftentimes abstract, associative lyricism backed by epic large scale orchestral strings and seductively dope Downbeat structures in the opener "Orlando's Victory", hovering and floating on top of a deep Ambient Jazz-infused backing moving forward into dramatic and theatrical territories in the "Number Of The Millibeast" whilst "Suzhou (xx xy yx yy)", albeit sporting a rather rhythmic and driving beat foundation, feels like a proper modern stage performance and "Nonsense Rock'n'Roll" pairs fully orchestral sequences with distinct, slightly EBM-infused electronic club music without aiming at a club crowd per se really. Furthermore we see Black Cracker indulging in what can be described as widescreen panoramic orchestral Jazz with "Bull Whip", weighing in a heavy Avantgarde Future Soul feel backed by thundering beats, exploring a similar, yet more performative and later HipHop- x Rap-infused attitude in "Leaping Bull (Chicago)" with its sparse abstract and syncopated percussions before "The Running Of The Bulls" is catering an epic late night anthem and probably the perfect closing track for an extended freestyle DJ-set and the "Sleeping Bull (Woke)" waves goodbye on a similar, yet more grandiose and orchestral Future Soul Fusion tip for those who loved and religiously followed labels like Anticon. or the likes of back in the days. Good stuff. Check.

Album artwork on Instagram!