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Gong Wah — A Second
(Tonzonen TON114, 2022, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-03-04

A Second Cover art

Back in 2021, Gong Wah’s self-titled debut album was a surprise gem that earned a place in my memory and my replay queue. 2022 brought their follow-up, the appropriately titled A Second. It presents a gradual refinement and expansion of their sound, with a core that is instantly recognizable as their own. The personnel is intact from the previous album, and all the things I loved about it are still there. Inga Nelke’s voice is engaging, and both the lyrics and the melodies are good. This time out, there’s only one songwriter listed on each track as opposed to the collaborations that were more common before. Nelke gets two tracks, guitarist Thorsten Dohle gets five, and other guitarist Felix Will gets two. But listening to the songs, you’d be hard pressed to detect differences in style or quality. All of them also play a variety of instruments. Giso Simon (bass) and Nima Davari (drums) present a solid rhythmic foundation for the songs. Within their distinctive style, they find variations for each track, such as “Baby, Won’t You Come Along,” where the drums are represented only by a quiet hi-hat sound (or maybe it’s a tambourine) and Nelke’s voice floats above ominous guitar drones and noises. Or “One Fine Day,” which features a drum machine groove percolating behind atmospheric synths for much of its duration, building very gradually by adding layers to the sound until it’s downright anthemic. “The Violet Room” has some very strange rhythms that resolve into a quick groove and the most chaotic arrangement on the album — there are some really freaky guitar sounds going on here, along with crazy synths. A Second is another great effort by this German band, full of catchy rock songs and just enough insanity to keep listeners on their toes.

Filed under: New releases, 2022 releases

Related artist(s): Gong Wah

More info
http://gongwah.bandcamp.com/album/a-second

 

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