NZMM_ Totems/Gotenks

Probably not fair to lump them in together, but TOTEMS (i'm pretty sure it's meant to be capitalised) is definitely generating some heat right now, so tagging in his GoTenks collab with Eno (of Supervillains RMC fame) just seemed to make sense.

Rueben Winter is also known around Auckland for his exploits in the under 18s indie music scene (for those of you overseas, 18 is the legal age limit for purchasing alchohol/attending a licensed premises in New Zealand), as a member of bands  such as Bandicoot and Kitsunegari, but it's his solo output as TOTEMS that has been capturing the imagination of listeners and music scribes alike, a woozy head nodding melange of influences spanning indie, witch house, hip hop and bass tropes, funneled through a smudged, heavy lidded 420 prism.



Despite the numerous weed references, Rueben's an incredibly industrious guy. I have at least four TOTEMS releases knocking around on the hard drive (although currently there are only two available on his bandcamp) and each one steps up the game from the last. His most recent Island, blends blurry electroacoustic psychedelia with plangent melodies and dirty south style bass thump to create something that you might expect Zaytoven to knock out while hanging out stoned at St Lukes foodcourt. Okay, probably better than that, I might be underselling it.



One of Islands standout tracks is Overcast, Winters collaboration with Foxtrots Flo Wilson. Combining TOTEMS based vibes with Foxtrots melancholic vocal loops, Overcast is simply killer,  like Hurdy Gurdy Man updated for the 21st century. With Beats. And a ridiculous blooping synth that hijacks the whole thing halfway through and totally twists the track into a different direction. and a Girl singing. So not like Hurdy Gurdy Man at all, to be honest although they do use that cool flanging vibrato effect on the vocal loop. I need to work on my hyperbole. Bear with me.

Gotenks, Winters hook up with Eden Jouavel (a/k/a ENO) is a different kind of swag altogether. One of the first projects to result from the Kerosene Comic Book co op, Gotenks self titled EP blends hazy thugged out coke rap influences with a surreal sense of humour (it's in the titles if you look) to create an incredibly entertaining take on that slowed and throwed sound you get from old DJ Screw mixtapes, or that Yin Yang Twins tape you accidentally left in the sun in the backseat of your car. Listen to their flip on Three Six/UGKs Sippin On Some Sizzurp, and you should get what you're in for straight away.



It's by no means all thug business though, there are some excellent head nodders in a more psychedelic, Brainfeeder-esque vibe too, and as an indicator of what to expect from further KCB collabs, it sets the bar pretty high. Check the self titled Gotenks for evidence:



While you're at it, you should probably also peep game on what the rest of the Kerosene Comic Book family are about too, You can pick up the the 420 mixtape here, plus check releases by Race Banyon/SKYMNING and Muirs too.

Next time: Epoch.