It's not often I write about releases that have already been, well, released, but this one was too much to let slip by. The impressive Prospekt Records have marked their debut LP release with an outing from Atsuko and Sangam in the form of "Tomodachi", a collaborative work between the two who we've featured on Night Tracks heavily in the past.
The LP doesn't make the division of work between the two producers blindingly obvious as other collaborations have, although Sangam's stylish simplicity runs through the release, and Atsuko's (I suspect) drum work manages to keep what is a very minimal release more than interesting.
At its heart, it's simply drums and bass, it's entirely stripped back until there's nothing left to take out, and that's just perfect coming from this duo. It's not over-produced, it's not flash, it's not showy, but instead it's a subtle slow burner that demands attention. Whilst there are some producers that can talk forever about production techniques, or how to tweak this setting infinitesimally, there are people like Sangam and Atsuko out there that are making thought provoking music and showing the world. I know which I prefer.
It's hard to single out a highlight from something that works so well as an album, as a true collection of tunes, and most of them wouldn't be half as effective on their own as they are fading into or out of the next or previous tune.
It's simple. Check it out.
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