If you like your genres mixed and mashed, this disc is a good place to start. Electronica? Check. Worldbeat? Got it. Jazzy chords? Oh yeah. Ambient beats and loops? Of course.
No, there aren’t any old-timey bluegrass sounds, nor much in the way of country twang or classical flourishes. But with some hip hop, trance and EDM thrown in, it’s almost a given that every listener will find something to enjoy on I Am Panda.
Chiminyo – a.k.a. Tim Doyle – is a drummer with the heart of an engineer, equal parts Stewart Copeland and Scotty from Star Trek. How else to explain the way he modifies his drums or connects them to his laptop to make them sound like guitars, voices or shrieking banshees? He would have been right at home in trumpeter Don Ellis’s experimental big bands of the ’70s, with their ring modulators and quarter-tone trumpets. Not to mention Ellis often used a trio of bassists, three drummers and a string quartet alongside all the electronics.
Here, though, the music isn’t about a horde of musicians. Given modern technology, it doesn’t have to be. Chiminyo enlists the services of some singers and a few string players, as well as the always-popular suling and kaval – flutes native to Southeast Asia and regions of Turkey and Armenia, respectively. Other than that, it’s Chiminyo himself on drums and electronics – and piano too.
In fact, let’s start there. “… into the sunkiss …” may be the most enjoyable track on the album, a moody solo jazz piano piece. It certainly stands apart from the rest of the recording: no electronics, no noodling, just engaging piano. Part of that may be the fact it’s the most straight-ahead track, as Chiminyo leaves the audience wanting more when the four-minute tune ends with a soft suspended chord that doesn’t resolve.
Of course, much of Chiminyo’s I Am Panda doesn’t resolve, in either a musical or traditional sense. The opening title track isn’t subtle at all, as the drums literally state “I am Panda,” among other spoken words triggered by the percussion. Chiminyo explores a range of sounds and riffs which almost coalesce into a melody. Almost.
Elsewhere, “Pan’s Call,” with its shimmering synth sounds, would be a great intro for a lengthy prog-rock epic. Though five-and-a-half minutes long, “Reachin’” similarly feels like it’s always starting and never quite gets there. “Breathin’” and “Sinkin’” also drop the G and stand as a trip hop vocal (the former) and – well, not quite sure what the latter is, when it shifts gears halfway through from an electronic percussion-led foray into space to a rappish track halfway through, which decays into the concluding piano lines.
That’s where it runs into “…into the sunkiss…” That’s followed by hip hop/reggae tune “See Me.” Or is it trip hop/dub? It all starts to get a little topsy turvy after a while. The concluding “Pandora” is a maelstrom of percussion, voice, flute and sound effects. This serves as a perfect metaphor for the recording in its entirety.
The strength here is Chiminyo’s versatility, while the album’s greatest weakness is the songwriting. Bits and pieces stand out, but while it may be true there’s a little something for everyone here, the reverse is true as well. Rock fans may find the slippery beats too difficult to hold onto. Jazz enthusiasts will be left wanting as well.
Chiminyo’s I Am Panda is a challenging listen. But those looking for something challenging will no doubt enjoy this swirling, sometimes cacophonous project.
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