Review: Pwin Teaks And The Children Of The New H – Kosmische Puppen LP

Pwin Teaks And The Children Of The New H – Kosmische Puppen LP

Phantasma Disques

Formerly known as Pwin ▲▲ Teaks, a moniker emblematic of Witch House’s Twin Peaks fetish. Twin Peaks references are manifest in sound and image in many a Phantasma Disques endeavour, but have shown a much wider set of interests over the course of past releases. In their best moments their combination of hazy soundscapes, pulsing delays and spoken word cutups can bring to mind early experiments of Nurse With Wound or Seven From Life, though largely simpler, and easier to digest.

That side one opens with what sounds like synthesis generated crashing waves can be seen as a holographic encapsulation of the structure of what is about to ensue. Long drones fade in, swell and taper off in a swirl of reverb. Chords modulate through a long progression through soft dissonances that resolve in a contrasting dominant major. An ever present drug fuelled narration is provided by Williams Burroughs as played by Donald Duck..The slow motion cymbal washes and subtle, wailing synth melody just manage to pull the feel from the brink of pretty.

The fog lifts and glassy sounding synths are the chills coming through the waves. Once the beat drops (after thirteen minutes) the buildup towards a dramatic finale begins. There is a very abstract feel to the drawn out structure of this record side. The three tracks seem like one long piece, but one piecce in three acts. One almost expects some pomp-rock orchestral flourishes and a David Gilmour guitar solo or more pronounced epic melodies in the vein of Vangelis.

After the denouement of the first side we turn to the flipside and we find ourselves clear of the dense fog of reverb of the last twenty-three minutes. Looping synths, skittering percussion and a collage of found sounds turns the mood from opiate to lysergic. A slowed down male rambles incoherently as a woman moans in ecstasy. The choppers descend to put an end to the outrage while in the bushes an infant cries and laughs to the sound of a bubbling bong. Not as disturbing as Justin Bieber slowed down 800%, but then again, what is? (Beiber not slowed down, perhaps…) Eliciting more disquiet is the needle stuck in the muzak groove that makes up the first part of the Dummies trilogy. I expected a bit of a quickening to a crescendo at the end, but this trip is concluded with a smooth extended epilogue of a comedown.

Side A:
Paradise Walker (Long Version)
Le Dome Du Plaisir De Bilitis
The Sky Above The Port Was The Color Of Television (feat. HOW I QUIT CRACK)

Side B:
The Children Of The Showroom
Dummies (Part I-III)