The remix of September Sun by Lumia is a perfect introduction to Kodomo, as it will immediately showcase the emotive force that are typically present in his recordings. I personally like the seemingly conflicting electronic feel and heaviness that is established here; Kodomo is incredibly talented at what he does. While listeners may be afraid of the track’s nearly six-minute run time, Lumia is arranged in such a way that one will feel time slipping away.
There are no traditional vocals here – only atmospheric arrangements that straddle the line between organic and electronic – but there is a cogent and coherent narrative that comes through strongly. In terms of album placement, I find that the presence of the second September Sun remix (by Symbion Project) is inspired. This is because the two versions of the track could not be further apart. What was light and airy is brought to a much more grim and industrial head space with Symbion Project’s tweak.
What results with these two tracks is nothing less than a chiaroscuro – listeners are provided with the two diametric opposite versions of the track. With this only being one track provided two ways, one may think that Kodomo’s musics, styles, and influences would still be a mystery. However, I feel that Kodomo puts everything into the original track and has chosen two amazing acts to properly highlight and otherwise note things that would normally be missed. The September Sun Remixes EP ends with Shigeto’s remix of Disappearing Light, a track that immediately sparkles and twinkles in the rapidly-fading autumn. As was the case with the two September Sun remixes, listeners are taken on a five-minute journey through a tremendous amount of musical genres and styles. Pick up this EP today, if you would like your music to be challenging and utterly fulfilling.
Top Tracks: September Sun (Lumia Remix), Disappearing Light (Shigeto Remix)
Rating: 8.7/10
Kodomo – September Sun Remixes EP (CD) / 2011 Self / 3 Tracks / http://www.kodomomusic.com
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
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