Rundfunk - We know karate

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 21 / 4 / 2003

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Review

I've never understood why it is that Swedish bands can perform catchy music with such great ease. From Abba onto the Hives,the riffs, the choruses and all are damn fine. Rundfunk well fit into the category. Their first proper album 'We Know Karate' , which is out on Mooncrack, is a tough one to rank and file. The dominant factor is pop cleverness. It makes you wonder whether driving on the left until 1964 has had a lot to do with Swedish bands coming on so convincingly ,while the Dutch, the German - or of any other non-English nationality - always sound utterly clumsy. Stefan Olsson's vocals are a lesson in phrasing. Rundfunk melt karate rock with summer pop and add digital beats in a 13 song sequence that does not have a single dull moment. Musically, Rundfunk's four members are continually throwing darts at eachother and each time hitting the bull's eye with no damage done. If you can catch my drift, Rundfunk celebrate the logic needed in pop music. Out loud and all the way. The illustration of the unique Rundfunk touch is written on the sleeve by the bandmembers themselves; 'rundfunk: electronics & mathematics' . None of the group's members, however, actually seem to be involved with the digital programming that appears on a couple of majestic pophouse tunes on 'We Know Karate'. On 'Thieves I Know' Rundfunk defy previous presumptions and deliver a twisting indie rock evergreen. The album then closes down with a set of cinematic downbeat songs that pave the way for hitting the repeat. Popmusic is just a game to Rundfunk. They are winners at it. Hence 'We Know Karate'.

Track Listing:-

1 Boulevard Péripherique
3 We know karate
4 Lights (You will know what hit you)
5 The night before carnival
6 Are you scared now?
7 Frequent Flyer
8 Cities
9 On the brink of....
10 There are thieves I know
11 Jonathan
12 The final hour
13 18 wheels, Heart of steel