This is such a fascinating little release… This 3" CDR offers a very subtle melange of collage, minimalism and sound art that succeeds in remaining both uncompromising and enjoyable. What you could call an unobtrusive "tour-de-force", I guess.
Kim_Nasung is actually the nom de plume chosen by Polish artist Mateusz Bakala who has been active in a variety of experimental music scenes from all over the world. He is also one of the founders of Mind Twisting Records. And his sonic palette is as impressive as the numbers of collaborations he's been involved with… Incidentally, please note that this particular record is being released on Lona Records from Hong Kong which – more or less unconsciously – goes towards reinforcing the feeling of "outer-national" belonging that permeates this music.
The piece begins on a low note, with a few multi-layered vocal rumbles going to and fro before some tiny "vintage" electronic sounds try to enter the picture. No doubt, Bakala still has many tricks up his sleeve…
Very quickly, we can hear him make ample use of all kinds of kitchen tools, the percussive & textural properties of which give a more spacious and physical quality to his music. And it is in the perfect combination between the more "concrete" sounds and the delicate electronic treatments they are subjected to that the music is able to find its own breath. At no time do you feel the effects of a laptop assemblage despite the fact that this recording is made up of three distinct performances.
By the 4th minute, we are entering some sort of cavernous sonic black hole – the wordless vocals becoming slightly more prominent and hazy at the same time. So disorientating…
As the sounds of the objects become more muffled, it now feels like they are coming from some far-away, distant places – echoing on and on, in fragments. Then, the voice gradually mutates into a series of half-whispered moans; a muted trumpet resonating in the void.
As I listened on, I started to feel like this music had been travelling through time & space, coming as it had been from some lost Sun Ra session circa "Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy" before actually finding a new home in this very music! And a new form as well…
As the piece goes on, a few sonic disturbances appear here and there, but the overall feeling is one of a very special/spacious inner "trip". I enjoyed this music very, very much. It's definitely one of those gems I know that I will play again and again and I highly recommend it to those of you whose curiosity has been somewhat raised by my humble attempt at describing these "Objects and Things". 8/10 --
Francois Hubert (4 March, 2008)