Review: Zongamin

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Zongamin
“Self-Titled”
(XL Recordings)

’70s disco-funk-rock guitar bites and breakbeat rhythms are some of the musical detritus Zongamin compiles together into their slick, hip instrumental sound collage. This Japanese group is taking our indie tricks and doing them faster and better. The album starts with a cover of “Make Love Not War” from The Arrows and throughout includes a bubbling disco production courtesy Midnight Mike (Sonovac, Soft Verge). The other sounds come from Susumu Mukai, the organizing principal of the group and cover artist. A lot of guest vocals keep the tracks varied by adding electric piano, clarinet, turntables and more.