Album Review: OOIOO - 'Armonico Hewa'

Yoshimi P-We may well be best known as the titular pink robot-battling heroine of The Flaming Lips’ most famous album, but given how bizarre ‘Armonico Hewa’ is, this is a mighty shame. When she’s not being an essential component of J-psych rhythm unit Boredoms or Free Kitten with Kim Gordon she is the driving force (drums, vocals, guitar, trumpet) of OOIOO and this, their sixth album, is equal in brilliance to anything they’ve done before. ‘Honki Ponki’ is a Japanese riposte to Tom Tom Club’s ‘Wordy Rappinghood’, while ‘Polacca’ is a lurching punchdrunk romp through African funk. Bracing brilliance channelling the spirit of Yoko Ono, Le Tigre, Aphex Twin and Alice Coltrane.

John Doran

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Click here to get your copy of OOIOO's 'Armonico Hewa' from the Rough Trade shop.

8 out of 10