KAMOTEK - Loftway

This is an great little electronic album on the small, independent Greek label Low Impedence. Labels like this can certainly throw up some gems from time to time, and that’s certainly the case with Kamotek’s Loftway.

Not much is known about the artist, but the content will definitely appeal to Mike Paradinas fans, especially his Kid Spatula project, as Loftway is an excellent record, brimming with crisp breakbeats, cheeky melodies and experimental rhythms – with an overriding sense of the absurd, yet occasionally dipping into darker climbs.

Standout tracks include Midnight AfroBeaver, of which the Low Impedence website describes as “Donkey Kong on crack throwing barrels at Darth Vader”. I couldn’t have put it better myself – the track will provide contemporary fun for 80s computer game enthusiasts. Then there are tracks like Darlimond - very Aphex Twin influenced - with stuttering beats, spliced vocals and charming ambient overtones.

Locksmith Blockade is another corker, Kamotek seems to be able to flit between recording happy-go-lucky electronica and harder, breakbeat-driven gems with ease – the squelchy, powerful beats on this track are really involving and there’s plenty of generous intricate sampling swirling around the track. Crescendo Sheep is magnificent, with darker synth layers tunefully bedded beneath splattered loops and playful sheep samples – there’s also some really nice ambient synth lines at work too.

Meanwhile, tracks such as Loving Loo, Generation Egg, and Cosmodial continue Kamotek’s liking for tech-noir microchip melodies. Multi Jazz is another corker – with more bizarre sampling and lashings of flatulent Atari/Amiga chiptunes. Vlakash verges on Squarepusher stupidity, with its splatter-gun beats and zany sampling techniques – but it’s certainly not derivative, just originial and fun.

It’s virtually impossible to dislike the playful nature of Loftway, and I have nothing but admiration for Kamotek's excellent production values and involving beats, melodies and rhythms. It’s certainly my favourite IDM album of the year, so don’t miss out.



	KAMOTEK - Loftway
	8.8
	Low Impedance Recordings ~ LOZ 03 ~ 15th October 2005
	This is an great little electronic album on the small, independent Greek label Low Impedence. Labels like this can certainly throw up some gems from time to time, and that’s certainly the case with Kamotek’s Loftway. Not much is known about the artist, but the content will definitely appeal to Mike Paradinas fans, especially his Kid Spatula project, as Loftway is an excellent record, brimming with crisp breakbeats, cheeky melodies and experimental rhythms – with an overriding sense of the absurd, yet occasionally dipping into darker climbs. Standout tracks include Midnight AfroBeaver, of which the Low Impedence website describes as “Donkey Kong on crack throwing barrels at Darth Vader”. I couldn’t have put it better myself – the track will provide contemporary fun for 80s computer game enthusiasts. Then there are tracks like Darlimond - very Aphex Twin influenced - with stuttering beats, spliced vocals and charming ambient overtones. Locksmith Blockade is another corker, Kamotek seems to be able to flit between recording happy-go-lucky electronica and harder, breakbeat-driven gems with ease – the squelchy, powerful beats on this track are really involving and there’s plenty of generous intricate sampling swirling around the track. Crescendo Sheep is magnificent, with darker synth layers tunefully bedded beneath splattered loops and playful sheep samples – there’s also some really nice ambient synth lines at work too. Meanwhile, tracks such as Loving Loo, Generation Egg, and Cosmodial continue Kamotek’s liking for tech-noir microchip melodies. Multi Jazz is another corker – with more bizarre sampling and lashings of flatulent Atari/Amiga chiptunes. Vlakash verges on Squarepusher stupidity, with its splatter-gun beats and zany sampling techniques – but it’s certainly not derivative, just originial and fun. It’s virtually impossible to dislike the playful nature of Loftway, and I have nothing but admiration for Kamotek's excellent production values and involving beats, melodies and rhythms. It’s certainly my favourite IDM album of the year, so don’t miss out.