Hybrid Rose – HyperKunt: 13th Floor Album Review

Hybrid Rose is Wellington Dance Pop artist Rose Windeler and HyperKunt lays out sharp catchy earworms of songs with wonderfully irreverent black humour.

The title names this particular little beast perfectly. Hyper is Hyperpop. Hook-laden tunes from digital electronic effects, sometimes with Rap and Hip-Hop vocals, and constantly shifting aesthetics from smooth to jarring.

Kunt comes from the Rainbow community, and connotes as fab, fierce and amazing. The term Punk also has a similar background, one of its origins being American prison slang for gay.

The style has some of the sensibilities of the Ramones, who stripped out as much of the excess bloated baggage of Seventies Rock as they could and returned to simple and fast pleasures with lyrics full of scathing humour. Minimalist Power Pop which is what Punk was at heart.

Dial Tone is an answerphone message which is all kinetic popping beats and sly humour with a striking similarity to early Devo.

I Want It All is looking through the eyes of Paris Hilton with voracious and deeply cynical lyrics. If you’re going to kiss my arse/ At least tell me how it tastes. The rhythmic pulse seems to come from Gary Glitter and the prime of the Glitter Band. Also, a small bow to the Spice Girls with And I think/ I really really really really really want it all/ And I want it now.

Which is followed by Paris, written by and featuring gay Wellington Pop artist Jeivenchy. Electronic Disco Pop and deconstructing the sound of Madonna’s Vogue. Strike a pose like in the magazine/ Now come alive/ We’re gonna dance against the dying of the light.

Vanilla Beam is accompanied by Los Angeles Rapper Hazel Rose, and out of the heavily treated vocals comes a Latino-tinged Disco Rap with a name-check for Frida Kahlo.

Take Me Out also features Los Angeles HyperPop artist Ryan the God. Classic Bubblegum Rock of the Archies comes to the fore. Pour a little bit o’ honey, sugar sugar. Robust electronic rhythms carry the weight of the song. Also added in are some of the signature flourishes of ABBA’s I Am the City.

The singers come to the fore with Go! A duet with co-producer Samuel ‘Loz’ Lozano. Shines like a little gem of soul-laden Pop.

These are well-crafted songs lyrically and this is evident on the closing song, Star of the Sea. Co-written by Jah’leel Ferebee who also suggested the title of the album. Wade in the waters of the divine/ Transcending all through time and space. That suggests some Gospel mysticism. The song starts as dreamy Pop reverie. At the bridge… is there something in the water? Then it concludes on an exuberant closing vamp.

Hybrid Rose on HyperKunt lays out her music as visceral body shots tailor-made for a dance floor (or dance bedroom), combined with a keen, blistering wit mixed with a little tenderness.

Rev Orange Peel          

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