Plently of electronic albums like to play at foreshadowing a future in which everyone is endowed with nanomachines and robots are effective at performing our most disgusting occupations, but how many of them actually succeed to the point of distinction? Stefan Kushima — a.k.a. Jung An Tagen — saw a vacuum where few of us do in the context of modern-day synth music; which is why 2014 roughly corresponded with his formal arrival on the music scene, as he explored complex, vaguely danceable rhythms that definitely weren’t derived from just anyone who bought a vintage Roland and then asked their two-year old to play with the patches and throw up on them for artistry’s sake.
His 2016 album Das Fest Der Reichen was Kushima’s first foray with premier experimental label Editions Mego. And now, here comes Agent Im Objekt, Jung An Tagen’s temporal follow-up to (and musical continuation of) that last album. It’s out on LP and digital on February 23, but you can pre-order it here now.
The album’s titles are pretty atypical and a supplemental attempt at conjuring a narrative of mystery…or (IMO), l33t hax0rs/spies doing their thing internationally. Certainly the track “23:08 THIS WAS THE LAST MESSAGE” connotes something in that vein, at least semantically. Musically, maybe just consider it one of the last pieces to this whole confusing electronic trip? Either way, have a listen below, and think feasibly future-forward!
Agent Im Objekt tracklisting:
01. 20:02 [3] starts logging #public1
02. 20:03 HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
03. 20:03 IT WAS TOTALLY INVISIBLE
04. 20:32 8°13’03.6”N 16°21’35.1”E
05. 20:36 [3] is now known as 0
06. 20:37 … (idle for 38mn)
07. 21:14 IT’S BURIED OUT THERE
08. 22:53 [0] sets mode
09. 22:54 … (layer two)
10. 23:02 NINE SECONDS LOST
11. 23:08 THIS WAS THE LAST MESSAGE
12. 23:59 [0] off (Ping timeout: 2sec