Akatombo
Unconfirmed Reports

A Norman Records recommendation (29th January 2010)

This record left our Ant feeling ecstatic.

This Akatombo CD/ DVDr set (enitled 'Unconfirmed Reports') looks very smart with print housed in oversized envelope printed with japanese text and containing lots of newspaper clippings. When a promo copy of this first arrived I was quite taken with a fair few tracks on here. The opener is a brooding dark electronic track, with a sinister and futuristic electro edge. Then the second is like a squashed smothered industrial hip-hop tune. There's even a seedy, jazzy track on here... Overall though the vibe is dark and distorted making me imagine post apocalyptic cities burning etc. All high quality throughout and the DVDr comes with 3 films. This wicked package comes recommended.

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Sound clips for Unconfirmed Reports

Friend For Hire Play

Pragmatism Play

Tondo Play

Cypher Play

SSRI Play

Blood Orange Play

Portable Pariah Play

The Sand Collector Play

A Prior Disengagement Play

What their label says...

    Format - CD (w/ bonus 3 film dvd-r) [Hand-numbered edition in oversized printed envelope - contains two photographic art-prints, two random newspaper cuttings, the full-length CD and a bonus 3 film dvd-r of promotional films featuring music from the album]

    Dark, brooding, occasionally menacing, yet deeply seductive; the 2nd full-length release from AKATOMBO, "Unconfirmed Reports", is an in-depth, electronic-based, audio/visual travelogue of late autumn through to early spring, as seen through the warts-and-all tinted-spectacles of Hiroshima-based artist, ( & ex-pat Scotsman), Paul Thomsen Kirk.

    "Unconfirmed Reports", carries on the recurrent, underlying themes of urban alienation & social exclusion first presented on the much critically acclaimed debut Akatombo release, "trace elements", which was released on Colin (WIRE) Newman`s SWIM label.
    From skimming the surface, to trawling the dank underbelly; the daily minutiae of life in a large Japanese city is duly presented in all its garish hues and faded glories. Accessing all areas, and dispelling numerous urban myths along the way, "Unconfirmed Reports", allows you, the wilfully willing participant, the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself completely in a thoroughly enticing, 360-degree, technicolour, sonic adventure.

    Hang on to your seat(s); and NO talking at the back.....

    >The new album is housed in a special over-sized, elaborately printed envelope containing; two large photographic prints, two random newspaper cuttings (each copy has different cuttings), the cd, & also a bonus 3 track dvd-r of promo videos; two of the videos have been shown @ over 20 film festivals in 12 different countries, (incl. U.S., Canada, France, Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Greece, UK, Spain & Japan), in the past 2 years to great critical acclaim. Each album is hand-numbered too. Thus, each copy is quite unique.<
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        Potted History of Paul Thomsen Kirk
    An expatriate Scottish musician/film-maker/photographer who has resided in Hiroshima, Japan for the past 11 years and counting.
    Prior to his move to the Far East, he played in numerous UK-based punk & experimental noise bands from 1980 onwards.  
    During the 90`s, up until his relocation to Hiroshima, he was, amongst other things; the manager/independent label buyer for a successful record-store in Edinburgh; the product-manager for a San-Francisco based independent music distributor dealing with labels such as Pathological, Communion, Boner, Hangman, Sarah, Grand Royal, Alternative Tentacles & bands such as Melvins, Folk Implosion, Bitch Magnet, Jawbreaker, Terminal Cheesecake, MDC, East River Pipe, Beastie Boys, etc. etc.; a freelance photographer in Montreal, Canada; a tour manager/manager for many UK-based bands including Ganger, (ex-Domino) + The Kaisers (legendary Scots beat outfit on Get Hip label...big in the U.S.); a concert & music festival promoter (incl. the revered Planet Pop 3-week music Festivals (x 2) in Edinburgh; bands included The Fall, Teenage Fanclub, Snow Patrol, Idlewild, Mogwai, Delgados, Prolapse, etc. etc.; an independent record-label owner (Human Condition Records (Idlewild, Eugenius, Forkeye, etc.); and a lover of Macallan 10 yr. old single malt whisky.

    He now writes & records under the name, AKATOMBO. He has recorded two full-length albums to date. Namely, "trace elements" on Colin (WIRE) Newman`s SWIM label (WM24), & the just-released album on the Hiroshima-based, Hand-Held Recordings label, "Unconfirmed Reports".(HHR 001).He is now busy @ work on the follow-up full-length release to "unconfirmed reports". And has also begun filming in and around Hiroshima w/ a view to making a new series of short films.
    Colin Newman & Graham Lewis (WIRE), Jon Savage, Simon Reynolds & Tom Recchion (Musician/Artist/Designer +Co-Director of the legendary Los Angeles Free Music Society), are fans...... + the guy in Yokohama who engineered the mixes on both studio albums, Makoto Kubota, has worked w/ members of YMO & was a guitarist in the 'legendary' Tokyo band in the mid-late 70's underground scene, Les Rallizes Denudes. [There is a whole chapter in Julian Cope's "Jap Rock Sampler" dedicated to Les Rallizes Denudes............!]
    *The reason for the long gap in between my first & second album is down to ill-health. I had meningitis & then not too long after making a lengthy, but full recovery, I was the victim of a hit & run. You would be correct in assuming that I am not known as Mr. Lucky White Heather*.

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