| When the first track, "Painting Monsters", sneaks you into Qua's second album – now reissued by Mush Records –, it's like going through the fence in the suburbs over which you couldn't see. Two minutes later, the other half of the record's title comes in its string-hanged transparency. After he unveiled some of his skills in his debut record, the guitar hero in Cornel Wilczek finally breaks free. In "Devil Eyes", Qua uses the guitar parts as the perfect alibi for his recurring need for human touch, a dramatic yawn at the real world. In his second album, Wilczek chains himself to freedom, artistically speaking, and alternates electronic tracks with more telluric numbers. It's a very clever way to reach his embryonic address while cultivating a more uptempo fan base. Compared to his debut "Forgetabout", which had some unrelentingly bleak venues, this Picasso-inspired drive enfolds you in its limpid, sparse atmosphere. The water-coloured sonic paintings may take a long time to reach the listener, but ultimately "Painting Monsters on Clouds" will shake you by the shoulders. The obliterated, indigenous feel of "Stranger Comforts Have Slipped By (Pt. 1 & Pt. 2)" ends up setting the album's mood. But you have reached this point only to find out that the previous tracks were a prelude to the more hardcore, obscure programming parts that start with "Happy Domestika". After this, Qua plots a global take on the geeks' dance floor. If all these electrolytes had vocal chords, this would be one of the most resonating records in micro organisms-induced electronica. - Properly Chilled |
