- In the past, Hideo Kobayashi is not a name I've associated with techno. His 2010 LP Yellow Diamond, for instance, consisted solely of West Coast-influenced house, futuristic jazz and touches of classical. Snow Monkeys, a speedy techno record, comes as quite a surprise then. It's also a bit of a throwback, having more in common with the dopamine-charged cuts of the '90s than the lumbering, monolithic creations of today. Apart from strong hi-hats, it's a lot of little loops which constitute this feel. There's something which might, at one point, have been a human voice saying some word, but it's been twisted into a blur of sound and ironed flat onto the track's pneumatic kicks. The only respite from the rapid assault is an eerie, super-short break, where something like a demented flute scores a few bars before being beaten back into submission.
A.Mochi's revisions are slight, but the result feels sleeker and more deadly. The original's crowded mid-range has been slimmed, and much of the track shrouded in dark fogs of delay and reverb. Most importantly, however, the cheap-sounding claves which featured prominently in Kobayashi's version have been excised. But for their shrill pummelling, his transition from house to techno might have been seamless.
Tracklist A Snow Monkeys
B Snow Monkeys (A Mochi Remix)