CD, Eves Records, 2009
www.koolmorfwidesen.com
The internet is both a blessing and a curse for music. A blessing in the fact that you can get music out to many ears who would not have usually heard it (half my CD collection for a start then!) but on the other hand, if it’s not well advertised, how are people going to know about it? Case in point: a somewhat messy website with some background information which essentially points to a MySpace page which an alarming lack of information on it. It would be nice to know a little more about the Koolmorf Widesen apart that he is from Italy, which isn’t especially well known for its breakcore.
Anyhow, aside from the lack of recent information, “Melodies Fork Now” isn’t a bad release; but there’s nothing amazing about it either. It follows in the footsteps of people like Venetian Snares, The Flashbulb, CDatakill and, at a push, Bogdan Raczynski. It’s got that all ‘been done before’ feeling to it – it’s familiar territory of acid tweaked breakcore, with the occasional foray in to fiddling around with classical music (which, for a change is actually played live, rather than just sampled).
There are some really great tracks on this album, though. “K21” is really bouncy, glitched out, breakcore, which is fun to dance around to and doesn’t rely on samples like lots of others tend towards. “Fakir Pool Moon” is a gorgeous piece of piano music – no electronics, no glitches, just pure sound, which really does break up the whole CD and that is it’s saving grace – it shows talent for music in its most pure form. “The Cowboy” is dirty sounding minimal techno and “The Bind Beam Fuck” is pretty interesting electronica, but again, nothing that really reaches out of your speakers and shakes you around a bit.
I have a feeling that Koolmorf Widesen is more interesting in a live setting where he can be a little more experimental with his sound, but as far as this release goes, it wanders too much in the ‘just plain average’ range. You’d be better off having Venetian Snares “Winter in the Belly of the Snake” on your headphones, whilst playing The Flashbulb’s “Kirlian Selections” on your stereo. At the same time. Chances are you’d come close to what Koolmorf Widesen is trying to achieve.
[5.5/10]
— Kate Turgoose