If you haven’t heard Team Doyobi, the arrival of their third LP marks the best time to check them out. They’re in top form on The Kphanapic Fragments, with a more focused sound that lasts throughout the album.
Similes describing Doyobi’s sound render acid-drenched visions. Confusing reviews liken it to, sound “processed through a scanner by a half-asleep stick of memory”, or, “Distorto-step turbo distention, Knight Rider plastic paneling out on tinfoil autobahns.”
On first listen, these acid-trip, dream-world, labels seem to stick; but they’re randomness belies the amount of programming and precision needed to create each track. If the sound had to be likened to anything it should be a neon Rubik’s Cube; at first glance it’s colorful and complicated, but after you spend some time with it you begin to figure out the puzzle and immerse yourself in Team Doyobi’s world.
Unlike their previous full lengths, The Kphanapic Fragments doesn’t throw you in without the clues to unlocking their science.Two opening tracks take up half of the album, introducing Doyobi’s sound through melodic tones. Here, the programming isn’t really focused on the beats as the tracks act out a mini-adventure within the album.
The album opener “Hipatropic Doyobi Drive in Freefall”, when compared to other track titles, sets up a narrative: the arcing sounds suggest a spaceship touching down on an unexplored world and the following cuts “Dinosaur Green Grass Revisited” and “Dawn of the Apes” take us through what’s found on this new peaceful planet.
Then, in “Heavy Light Cylinders”, the fourth part of this mini-adventure, something strange appears in a bright light. Heavy beats emerge, breaking up the melodic mood with an industrial roar. The track winks out of existence on the robotic refrain “listen and you will receive”.
Out of this industrial fuzz steps the third track, the “Metabeast”. From here on the narrative lets loose as the beast’s rhythmical stomp breaks-up the peaceful surroundings of our new world. Its roar becomes overpowering; almost too late we make an escape from its snarls in the safety of a gnarly tune.
The last minute of this cut is packed seamlessly with fine details in multiple layers, really demonstrating the mastery Team Doyobi has developed over their equipment.
Our adventure continues on throughout the remaining tracks as we attempt to make it back to the ship in one piece. Along the way, “58008” and “Test008” challenge whether we’re strong enough to continue on. But, between these tests we witness a battle with the pixilated low-fi Golog which spurs us on.
The album ends strongly with two of the most fully realized cuts Doyobi have released, “Song of the Metabeast” and “Mostly Harmless”. Both of which continue on the narrative and round it out with strong hooks and a definite conclusion.
Strangely, their second lp Choose Your Own Adventure has a title more appropriate to the storyline of The Kphanapic Fragments. That previous effort contained more fragmented vignettes.
The Kphanapic Fragments itself contains one of the most cohesive and enjoyable narratives to emerge on a strictly electronic album. It has challenging moments, but at its heart wants to be read and re-read and rewards anyone willing to spend time in its strangely foreign world.
