K.K.K.K.K.

K.K.K.K.K. (1998) is the second full-length album from cult Japanese singer Kahimi Karie, originally released in 1998 on the Cornelius-run Trattoria label. In 1999, it saw domestic release on Le Grand Magistery, along with four bonus remixes. It was the last Kahimi Karie album to be made readily available in the U.S., a year after the release of her well-liked self-titled compilation.

Like most Kahimi Karie albums, the songs are predominately sung in English, though several are written in French. A song with lyrics by Karie herself is also included ("What Is Blue?"), rare in her early work.

Reception

K.K.K.K.K. can be considered so tight a key release in the Shibuya kei sub-genre of Japanese pop - however, Western critics were largely unimpressed by the album. Many wrote of being distressed by the implications of the youthful-sounding Karie singing the often sexually-charged lyrics of Momus or of her breathy, untrained vocals in general.

Track listing

(Tracks 12-15 included only on the U.S. reissue)

1. "One Thousand 20th Century Chairs" (Momus/Hirohisa Horie) – 2:23
2. "What Are You Wearing" (Momus) – 5:36
3. "Qu'est-ce que tu veux?" (Stereo Total) – 2:30
4. "Clip-Clap" (Stereo Total) – 2:48
5. "Kahimi Karie et moi" (Philippe Katerine) – 2:43
6. "Harmony Korine" (Momus/Tomoki Kanda) – 4:44
7. "The Harder They Come" (Jimmy Cliff) – 4:26
8. "The Symphonies of Beethoven" (Momus) – 4:47
9. "Orly-Narita" (Philippe Katerine/Tomoki Kanda) – 5:10
10. "What Is Blue?" (Kahimi Karie/Hirohisa Horie) – 3:56
11. "Kahimi au téléphone" (Stereo Total) – 2:35
12. "What Are You Wearing" (remixed by Shinco) – 4:25
13. "The Symphonies Of Beethoven" (remixed by Add 'N' To (X)) – 5:51
14. "Orly- Narita" (remixed by Buffalo Daughter) – 5:52
15. "One Thousand 20th Century Chairs" (remixed by Hirohisa Horie) – 3:50

References