Sukia
Contacto Espacial Con El Tercer Sexo
[Nickelbag]
Rating: 7.0
What we have here is a musical interpretation of contemporary Los Angeles
as seen through the eyes of young people that have been force- fed pop
culture like so many geese at a foie gras farm. And like the livers of
those criminally- indulged fowl, the end product of mandated pop culture
ingestion can be quite delicious. It's easy to see how the Dust Brothers
were drawn to these kids, the first band they signed to their own Nickelbag
Records. Sukia share the Brothers' fascination with found sounds, off- kilter
grooves and samples that spelunk the deep reaches of the television
generation's collective unconscious.
The music is instrumental (save the odd chants and spoken verses), and it
generally pumps along in a more ambient vein, a nice backing for a groovy
dinner party or any time you want some quirky aural coloring. Nickelbag
describes it as "what you play while listening to your favorite music,"
and though that phrase makes absolutely no sense, in this skewed
landscape it seems about right. The lounge/ salsa/ hip-hop beats are as
laid- back as suburban SoCal itself, and woven throughout are samples
from moonwalks, tacqueria ads, films, distorted short wave
radio transmissions and assorted unclassifiable weirdness.
Add plenty of Latin textures, surf guitar, muted horns, Moogs and
programmed Casio beats, and you get these guys. And while Sukia are
yet another addition to a crowded genre, their vibe proves fun and funky,
and their retro headtrip is worth taking.
-Mark Richard-San