Kessoncoda - Outerstate

A Closer Listen

Outerstate offers an aural illusion.  Even though we know there are only two members of Kessoncoda, Tom Sunney and Filip Sowa sound like a full band ~ occasionally drawing comparison to label mates GoGo Penguin, with a languid combination of jazz, modern composition and rock.  It’s no wonder that the first track is titled “The Sum of All the Parts,” as this is exactly what the album represents.  The (non-drum) percussion is introduced first, then light, wordless vocals, then pounding drums and rapid-fire ivories, and finally electronic keyboards.  We suspect there may be some looping involved, as there’s no way all these instruments are being played simultaneously.

“Greyscale” begins in a much sparser fashion, but grows denser and lusher as it progresses, eventually adding brasslike tones, along with that ubiquitous vocal.  This ebullient romp is just one of many highlights, so it’s no surprise that it was chosen as a preview track.  Ironically, at six minutes, it’s also the only track to surpass the length of a radio single.

One of the duo’s most endearing aspects is the description of their studio, “a shed at the bottom of Tom’s garden.”  One imagines their neighbors hearing these cheerful sounds at a friendly time of day, soundtracking their watering and pruning, their morning and evening exercises.  The music certainly invites body movement; despite its organic roots, Outerstate often feels like an electronic album, with steady rhythms and a club sensibility.  The sole exception is the intimate “Talk To Me When I’m Sleeping,” built around a whispered message that sounds like poetry, the rewinding of tape a central sound.

The title Outerstate refers to a feeling of being disconnected or out-of-body, even when among friends.  The experience can be either positive or negative, from feeling “not quite right” to being caught up in pleasant trance.  While referring to the first, the duo encapsulates the feeling of the second.  One is lost in the flow; the sheer number of beats and notes in “Reverie” are like a rapid river, carrying one away from one’s problems, landing in a peaceful lake.  (Richard Allen)

The Guardian 0

(Gondwana)
Drummer Tom Sunney and keyboardist Filip Sowa trade grooves and plaintive melodies to create satisfyingly complex mood music