Kink Gong – “Tibetan Buddhism Trip” – [Akuphone]

Naysayer   7/2/2018   A Library, CD

Kink Gong, aka Laurent Jeanneau, has for years been recording ethnic minority groups primarily from Southeast Asia. With over 160 recordings, Laurent knows the lay of the sonic landscape. With “Tibetan Buddhism Trip”, two 20 minute tracks taken from his field recordings from Tibet and Yunan (China), Laurent creates a mesmerizing journey of trance and hallucinatory sound. By editing selections of field recording together and filtering in subtle yet noticeable electronic fiddlings, Jeanneau creates a new music, a new sound, a new interpretation of Tibetan Buddhist rites sounds. Each piece starts out somewhat quietly with vocal chanting, psalm reading and prayer being layered on top of each other. Then come drums, cymbals, bells, clapping, electronic buzz and fuzz, slight distortions, crowds, chanting, all layered over each other, faded in and faded out. The progression of sound increases to this kinetic frenzy then slowly pulls back. Hypnotic, lovely quality. A true head trip without digesting the ‘shroom.