Kahvi’s end of November release is from Brioskj who resides in Genoa, Italy. Brioskj creates “elektro music, particularly ambient, idm and chill sound”. When I first popped this album into my player, I was surprised at its length of almost 50 minutes spanning 11 tracks. And this being a first release from Brioksj, I was expecting maybe an EP or slightly longer than an EP in length of listening time. Surprisingly, Brioskj pulls it off pretty well.

What turns out to be an unremarkable album on the first listen becomes a highly likeable and wonderful one on successive listens. A remarkable achievement for an artist for his first solo release. The album starts out with the track Landing on Kahvi Planet, an appropriate reference to Brioskj’s first solo release on Kahvi, that features vocoder work, solid synth melodies and polished percussion. It also reveals a sort of psychill aesthetic that is to be prominent throughout the rest of the tracks with the exception of a notable few. At the end, we’re greeted with an atmospheric, ambient piece that’s not as striking as most of the other track but still a satisfactory closer with its almost ghostly orchestral-like quality.

Standout tracks
02. Snowfall
The track name is an appropriate descriptor of the music that is to be found here as the arpeggiate synths would suit the landscape of snow quite well. A mystical atmosphere envelopes the music that gets more enjoyable the more you listen.

04. Gnome Ballad
Brioskj knack for names is evident here again as listening to this song makes us want to tap our toes and nod our heads along to the imagined ballad of imaginary gnomes. Cute sounds and cheerful melodies pervade this track and it is just downright fun.

07. Sultriness
As much as snowfall and gnome ballad envision positive moods, sultriness, in my opinion, envisions that of more neutral or uncertain moods. The track, with it’s simple but effective melody that repeats almost throughout the track shows us the darker side of Brioskj music. This track with its X-files like atmosphere is indeed my favourite among all the darker sounding tracks.

11. French Kiss
Brioskj nailed down my favourite part of music here. The fingered bassline provides an appropriate backdrop for all sorts of filter sweeps and atmospherics and is as suave as they come.

Thanks to our reader, Gordon Hackman, for suggesting this album.

Netlabel: Kahvi Collective