The month of April featured a couple of fun projects such as The Alchemist’s This Thing of Ours and BROCKHAMPTON’s ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE. However, the album I found the most endearing was Kero Kero Bonito’s short-but-sweet Civilisation II. This 3-track mix of glitzy electronics, indie pop, and elements of House is nothing but fun despite its rather grim lyrical direction.
Civilisation II’s opener “The Princess and the Clock” instantly shows off Kero Kero Bonito’s frenetic energy with IDM-inspired drums and quick synthesizer melodies. Then, the song builds to an EDM drop that makes you want to rock out. These elements along with additional synth layering, a killer bass line, and an amazing bridge make “The Princess and the Clock” a catchy headbanger. The EP continues with the next song “21/04/20” which is a bit more reserved than its predecessor. Soft drums, plucky synth leads, and infectious groove make this a cute track smack dab in the middle of “The Princess and the Clock”. The EP’s final song, “Well Rested”, is quite frankly a crazy track. Starting with a House drum beat that would be heard in a nightclub, it disintegrates into an ambient synth piece with spoken word narration. Then, the drums return now with detuned synths and funky bass. There is also an experimental section of the song that explodes with distortion, off-kilter synths, and a digitized electronic solo. Overall, this EP packs a punch with endlessly lively and fun tracks.
However, this energy in the production is deceiving. On Civilisation II, Kero Kero Bonito’s singer, Sarah Midori Perry, dives deep into apocalyptic and isolationist imagery. The explosive pop-tune “The Princess and the Clock” is in reality about a princess trapped in a clock tower who dreams of flying free like the birds. The cozy rhythm of “21/04/20” is the story of one of Perry’s lonely days in the pandemic. Finally, “Well Rested” is an anthem of human perseverance against the apocalypse.
The Verdict: For its endearing production and the unique storytelling in its lyrics, I believe that Civilisation II is April 2021’s Album of the Month.