Kero Kero Bonito - Civilisation II EP Review
Kero Kero Bonito are one of London’s most gripping bands. Their sound has morphed substantially since their inception and their new EP Civilisation II is no exception.
It’s been two whole years since Kero Kero Bonito’s last EP, Civilisation I. In that time Kero Kero Bonito have dipped their toes more in the PC music scene, having collaborated with 100 gecs and Charli XCX last year on monster pop single ‘ringtone’. Earlier this year, they shared a teaser for a second EP in their Civilisation series. Similarly to previously released Civilisation I, all of the tracks on Civilisation II were recorded and produced in Gus Lobban’s bedroom with lead vocalist Sarah Midori Perry writing lyrics half in Japanese and half in English, in an effort to reflect the multidimensional way she sees the world. Each track on the EP represents a different tense: past, present and future.
‘The Princess and the Clock’ is the first track on the EP and its lead single. The track features a plethora of shimmering synths weaving in and out of each other. At times, the mix feels slightly too busy and distorted and dense to truly allow appreciation of the arrangement choices made by the band on this track. Lyrically the track is reminiscent of their first EP, seemingly referring to the same primitive civilisation of Civilisation I: ‘We all prayed for a princess, you're the one heaven sent". Interestingly, the music here similar mirrors the first EP, with an electric pan flute present in the mix that is near-identical to the one used in ‘When the Fires Come’ from Civilisation I. It creates a kind of linearity between releases that fosters some real stylistic cohesion for Kero Kero Bonito’s discography.
‘21/04/2020’ is a surprisingly saccharine song following the hectic nature of the opening track. This wouldn’t feel out of place on Kero Kero Bonito’s last album, Time 'n' Place. Its heartwarming synths have plentiful space to breathe while Perry’s voice glistens over the sweet melodies, creating a surprisingly chilled atmosphere. This track’s reference to the early days of the global pandemic of 2020 adds some thematic weight. Furthermore, taking inspiration from both cave drawings and the Bayeux Tapestry, the band are able to play with the ways in which literal works of art can capture the experiences of a certain time.
The final track on the EP, ‘Well Rested’, is a 7-minute epic of dance synth grooves. Noticeably more influenced by contemporaries such as 100 gecs, Charli XCX and Rina Sawayama, you can feel the PC Music influences seeping through profusely on this track. Yet this is unmistakably Kero Kero Bonito. The track builds up towards 4:43 and the synths go to war. Lyrically, the repetitive ‘We will be well rested when the ascension comes’ is hugely catchy. This track is surprisingly an “extreme remix” of ‘Rest Stop’, a track from their last LP Time ’n’ Place.
Kero Kero Bonito are one of London’s most gripping bands. Their sound has morphed substantially since their inception yet, remarkably, Kero Kero Bonito remain one of these bands that you could recognise instantly. Civilisation II makes for an exciting listen and leaves you craving their next full-length LP. Hopefully they will take the best of their experimentation on this project and reinforce it further. Or perhaps they will go a completely different way altogether. All we can guess for certain is that it will be unmistakably Kero Kero Bonito.
