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Deep Dive Vol. 3 - 'KöSHRiMP: Sketches of Rouen'



KöSHRiMP is one of the most brilliant artists I've heard, seen and known since I began exploring the underground internet music 'scene' (for lack of a better word). His music is presented alongside art & comics drawn by himself, some of it even serving as soundtracks to these stories. One of my main goals with this instalment of 'Deep Diving' is also simplifying his often overlooked output, in order to turn more people onto a chunk of albums that may have gone under the radar up to now.

13. 13. 13.
We're not starting off with the main KöSHRiMP name, but with Tom's SOViET NiTEKLUB hardvapor project and the 4 albums it spawned. While somewhat chained down by the genre tag, Cochien's signature style blends through every track and gives us a glimpse into what would become of his music while constantly drawing inspiration from DC regular Chungking Mansions, a long-time friend of his. '怪談', released on the now-defunct 'The Vapour Library' label is a personal favourite of mine from this early era in the artist's career and manages to be a staple within the greater hardvapor genre. Also to note, the '13.13.13.' album released on Antifur which featured tracks from a previous release (1-6) and new selections is also a worthwhile listen even nowadays.

Métapolis - Département Isolation Temporelle
Now taking a look at the world of 'KöSHRiMP', the artist delves into the world of vaporwave with his first release, which in most cases nowadays could be regarded as generic reverbed samples and discarded, though that isn't the case here. Amongst the endless sea of generic vaporwave releases of the time, 'Human Apparatus' stands on its own as a truly unique representation of the genre, and 'Métapolis - Département Isolation Temporelle', the following album, moves away from the concept, being the first 100% sample free album from KöSHRiMP and one he considers to be the first step in the direction he's been following up to the present day. Both the 'Vertical Mall' and 'Red Luna District' albums, released around this time, were intended as soundtracks to digital comics and, as such, work best within that context.

Right at the very beginning of 2016 we get a split album from KöSHRiMP and '.Code Cortal', which displays a much more precise facet of Tom's production skills, invoking an almost 'BLCR Labs'-like vibe along with the cover art (made by .Code Cortal), the label on which the artist would eventually release 'Quartier Détente Ectoplasmique', one of the greatest hidden gems within not only KöSHRiMP's back-catalogue but also BLCR Labs', boasting a beautiful cover made by KöSHRiMP's at-the-time roommate. Having been released between these last two on the prominent vapor label '404 Jackpot', 'Labyrinths In Cathedrals' is yet another shining example of the unique production technique displayed by Tom, definitely a worthwhile listen.

Quartier Détente Ectoplasmique
'精油​​/​​鬼香水', a split album with 'Famicom Fountains' is up next. Here, the themes of fragrance and aromatherapy are delved upon with two long tracks, one from each artist. Yet another quality release that foresees the way some of Cochien's future albums would end up being presented: as long-form tracks divided into separate sections. 'ZETA_RETiCULi' also got a release around the same time on Toulouse-based label 'Elemental 95', boasting an experimental sound palette which is, at times, hard to digest. In some ways, you could call it proto-intervapeur...

'Vaatican Records', owned by Cochien's friend VIIRGIILE released a split album from them both entitled 'V Comme Vitamine', which features an extremely polished and perfected sound from both artists, who complement eachother perfectly within this setting. The backwards 'SüT KäK' release (attributed to 'PMiR HSöK') contrasts the former album heavily, with an organic guitar-driven sound that the artist would go back to using in later releases.

SüT KäK
'HiSTORY' and 'SCiENCE' are the subjects we'll be studying on 'Métapolis Educational Program [Tape 01]', a 2-track dive into broken beats, cliché keyboard presets and spooky ambience. Again, these are presented as unbroken sides composed of several individual tracks, which in my opinion only enhances them and the story Tom has envisioned (or wants you to envision) for them. Following this tape, two widely different EP's were released: 'LAST SiP UNDER A TREE EP', a chilled-out end-of-summer EP released through Adhesive Sounds, and 'JARS', a techno EP that harkens back to the SOViET NiTEKLUB days and absolutely bumps. Of course, it could've only been released on House Of The Leg, one of the sickest labels going at the moment.

Metapolis: Hidden District
What could be my favourite album from Cochien is up next, 'Metapolis: Hidden District' maintains the tape aspect of the former Metapolis album, but executes it in a manner that is much rawer than previously. If you haven't, i'd highly recommend you check this one out. 'From Beyond The Liquid Roof' released on Dream Catalogue in 2018 and displayed the artist's capability to produce a phenomenal album even while sticking to the preconceived notions of what an 'album' is. Very similar in concept to '精油​​/​​鬼香水', the 'PHANTASM / ESPRESSO' double-track split tape features Mindspring Memories in place of Famicom Fountains and was born within the same circumstances as the former, mostly incentivized by Adhesive Sounds.

In an attempt to explain what 'KöSHRiMP' is exactly, the 'o r i g i n s' 3-track EP was born. It's accompanied by a comic which explains the fusion of a cow and a shrimp in order to form the 'cow-shrimp'. Released through legendary label Seikomart, 'Cālīgō Nēbūlā' features work from Cochien and c a l d o r 32x, with tinges of tape degradation and lo-fi effects and, primarily, good contributions from both.

KOLAPSVS
Early last year yours truly contacted KöSHRiMP in order to release an album on Hollow Point One, as I'd really enjoyed his latest House Of The Leg drop. A few months down the line, Tom sent me 'KOLAPSVS', a sort of unofficial continuation to the Metapolis series and its tape sides theme and remains up there on my favourite releases of the year. After a single release ('Cold Seep Community'), Cochien drops his latest album with aurawire, entitled 'MACROBiOTOPiA'. The best way to describe it is a smoothie of about every genre that comes to mind, even with jungle influences (which I didn't think I'd ever hear on a KöSHRiMP track)

Even though I've covered most of his music, the world of KöSHRiMP doesn't end here. His website houses dozens of comics and drawings that show another side of the artist and are definetely worth checking out. As he himself would put it, 'I let my art speak for itself...'

-Holo

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