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The long awaited 6th studio album by Pepe Deluxé.
AVAILABLE IN:
The long awaited 6th studio album by Pepe Deluxé.
The new album follows Pepe Deluxé’s extraordinary 2021 release, Phantom Cabinet Vol. 1, which was a decade in the making as the duo searched the ends of the world to unearth the oldest, weirdest instruments ever made to play on it. To name a mere few: the world’s largest cowbell, a synth designed for group sex, and a sacred Tibetan human skull drum. Comix Sonix sees music’s mad hatter inventors, Pepe Deluxé, continue their quest for sonic brilliance and uniqueness. The album showcases an extraordinary array of devices, each with its own unique story. In addition to Bart Hopkin’s collection, the album also features notable instruments such as the American Airlines 747 flying coach lounge Wurlitzer, caressed by the fingers of Frank Sinatra, Jr., the world’s oldest known musical instrument – a 40,000 BC mammoth bone flute, and a 19th-century lithophone, Richardson’s Rock Harmonicon, once cherished by Queen Victoria herself. Even the piano of the airship Hindenburg is there, resurrected from the ashes with modern technology. And not forgetting Mr. Jonah Falcon’s largest “instrument” in the world – ensuring that the album has a little something for everyone!
As a nod to Motown and the Wrecking Crew, beloved by Pepe Deluxé, the duo cites the outstanding collective of musicians called ‘the Deluxé Fellowship’ as their ‘top secret weapon.’ Comix Sonix features performers such as Tuukka Haapaniemi, recognized as one of the greatest and most versatile bassists ever; Mr. Fastfinger, who wields his six-string to slice sonic salami and orchestrate a biplane battling pterodactyls; Owen Egerton, a novelist, filmmaker, stage comedian, and human sampler; and this time even the original Pepe founding member DJ Slow, who brings things full circle with his old-school hip-hop treats. On the album, these ‘sounds from way out’ are married to lyrics blending Victorian poetry, ancient Chinese philosophy, global political discourse, sacred texts, scientific intricacies, utter nonsense, and a myriad of other enchantments, seamlessly integrating them all with the sparkles of the music.
Pekka Laine, a distinguished journalist from Finnish National Radio YLE, offered his insight after an early sneak peek at Comix Sonix, describing it as follows: ‘Album tracks form a radiant continuum. Soulful. Expansive. Enchanting. Evocative.’ He expressed that he felt as if he were ‘Standing on the threshold of a profound, psychedelic experience. The echoes of Syd Barrett’s spirit dance within the fractures of consciousness, illuminated by an enigmatic light.’ According to Laine, ‘the rhythmic whirlwind of ‘Wise Monkeys and The Devil’ merges futuristic sonic explorations with soul, fun, and hip-hop but anchored by beats from a golden age.’ Additionally, the record’s Magnum Opus ‘Back from the Futures with Goldfinger and K,’ which draws inspiration from the film ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once,’ ‘dives into other dimensions and possible tomorrows through music with a psych-prog intensity’.
Pepe Deluxé’s Comix Sonix is more than just an album; it’s an invitation to journey across space and time, a ticket to enter a world where music transcends the bounds of reason. An exploration of the nearly limitless possibilities of sound and storytelling. Assembled with meticulous attention to detail; this creation stands as a testament to the quirkiness that defines Pepe Deluxé’s artistry.
