TRUE ZEBRA

Belgium’s notorious Einzelgänger True Zebra strikes again! After his 123 compilation, a sort of ‘best of’ selected from his first 3 DYI albums released through Wool-e Records (2018), Kevin Strauwen is back with his fourth DIY 7-track album Idiorhythmic. Again True Zebra delivers a well produced and enjoyable gem of electronic music. Stylewise sometimes hard to categorize. It’s not pop, it’s not minimal, It’s not EBM … it’s simply True Zebra. The album opens with the song ‘Connection Is Addiction’, a composition in the spirit of the ‘familiar’ True Zebra sound as we're starting to know it. Distorted synth-melodies interact with percussive passages while Kevin’s almost whispering voice floats though, a nice dark opener. ‘Wait Wait Wait’ has a firm pounding 4/4 beat and a deep bass synth while Mr True Zebra seems chanting, amongst others things, “You’re filling my head with your princess complains - I need to focus my mind”. One of the darker tracks on this album. But also in ‘Logistica And Thelemia’ it gets pretty doom when True Zebra opens up his soul (again) and sings about isolation and his fear of too many people surrounding his mind. And when the snares come crashing in, about half-way the song, I can already see those stomping boots on the dance floor. More personal confessions on dark gloomy soundscapes follow in ‘Weird’ … “I feel Weird” and ‘Sex’ … “I want sex”. Songs and lyrics most of us can rely to I guess. The one before the last track is called ‘Move’, a more uptempo song that somehow and musical wise seems to breath a bit more joy and pleasure than the previous tracks. The title track ‘Idiorhythmic’ closes this fourth album in style. Smart breakdowns, great (s)weeping melodies and percussive synths accompany Kevin’s dark whisphering voice to the very end! Check-it out!

Hamis HIREK
26/09/2020