Kudu
I’ve Been Hit
Velour
From the small (and fresh) New York label Velour comes yet another amazing example of what happens when visual quality art and music collide: Kudu. The 12-inch single for I’ve Been Hit includes three other tracks that actually eclipse the single itself. “Restless” is a bedroom-friendly tune with pleading vocals, strange, beating background sound creations, and an odd, twisting industrial end. Sylvia Gordon, who does vocals on three of the four songs, is a neo-jazz diva with a voice reminiscent of Billie Holiday, and laces the meaty drum n’ bass on “Restless” with deep sexual innuendo. “Up In Thirds” is instrumental jewelry box music blended with light percussion to make for an extremely fun, flavorful cymbal-tinged track and “Tell Me a Bedtime Story” is a downbeat dream with Madonna-esque lyrics and equally comparable sensuality. “I’ve Been Hit” is urban street jazz, and makes for a great introductory single even though the other three songs bring out the voice of the group better. It all sounds as if it was made in a seedy hotel room, where beauty was born from ugly depths and visionary ideas in sound continue to run rampant. Kudu is an amazing group and seem to have all the right technical moves to stay that way. If you thaw to Saint Germain, State Logic, or Bare Necessities, pick up Kudu and spread the groove.
Velour Music: http://www.velourmusic.com • Kudu: http://www.kudumusic.com
