Snoleoparden - Snoleoparden

by Andrew Carver

published: 5 / 3 / 2008

Label: Rump Recordings
Format: CD

Only partially successful debut album from Snoleoparden, the moniker for Danish performer Jonas Stampe, which is a mish-mash of sounds incorporating Asian music, electronica, tape experimentation and children’s songs

Review

Snoleoparden is Danish performer Jonas Stampe. His resume includes Copenhagen electronic outfit Mofus and session sitar work for a host of other artists. It’s a peculiar mish-mash of Asian music, electronica, tape experimentation and children’s songs, performed on a grab bag of instruments. The list of gear that Stampe employs stretches from the conventional through to clay pipes and drums to ‘kitchenware’ (possibly including the sink?). The album’s colourful patchwork is stitched form two distinct threads, which might be described as youthful world-pop and ethnic electronica. It’s more successful when Stampe takes a less experimental tack: ‘Hodja Fra Port’ is a cheerful acoustic guitar with a gaggle of children singing along and xylophone providing a bouncy rhythm. Perhaps the most striking track is ‘Dreng’, with a 6-year-old Pakistani street singer turning in a standout performance. Most of the other tracks take an instrumental tack and are more hit-and-miss. ‘Trance’ is a particularly groovy effort with woodwinds providing a sinuous melody over sampled drums and blurts of electronic noise. The interlaced wooden percussion, electronic noise and ringing bells of opener ‘Nr. 1’ sound like the discordant soundtrack to Asian clockwork puppet theatre; The appropriately named ‘Xylofon’ features interlaced percussion of the opening track, but with less success, while the stumbling drum’n’bells of ‘Grieg’ has its charms. Other tracks, featuring reverberating eastern drums, gurgling electronic noise or bubbly electronics, make less of an impression, though fans of Steve Reich or Phillip Glass’s more minimalist output might find them appealing. The albums two poles are straddled by the spooky, echoing acoustic guitar and wordless vocalizing of ‘Water Puppet Theatre’ – it’s not unlike the psychedelic music of Daniel Higgs. Many listeners will find something to enjoy in Snoleoparden – almost as many will find that parts of the album don’t interest them as much as their favourite track or two.