Styled as a collaboration between one Cornel Wilczek the Elder and one Cornel Wilczek the Younger, Qua’s Forgetabout is as much about one man’s relationship with his childhood as it is about blending live and electronic instrumentation in a post-rock amalgam. Not content with metal, big beat or indie Qua Forgetabout seeks to blend "the excessive, laboured craft of electronica and the spontaneous immediate art of improvisation" and mixed with messers Wilczek' self-exploration, the result is at times, charming, innocent and enticing. "Vienna" rivals Mazzy Star’s "Fade Into You" for wistful pining, and "Broadcast" and the title track really show off Qua’s sound design roots and potential – sometimes for the good, sometimes for the worse. Tracks like "800x600" make you wish Cornel stayed in bed that day, but others like "The Air is Thin in Here" beg for inclusion on film soundtracks. At other times, Forgetabout falls prey to the post-rock trap of simply not having enough for the listener to latch on to. It’s like clutching at smoke from an incense stick, but once burned down, its subtle smell doesn’t hang around for nearly as long as you’d like it to. - Vibewire |