Kasper Bjørke
In gumbo
Plant Music

Fun, big-beat pop/techno that won't change your life, but will at least put a smile on your face. As is typical for the genre, "In gumbo" doesn't work so well as an album as much as it is a decent collection of standalone tracks, lead single "Back & spine" being among the best. On that one Bjørke takes an approximation of the "Airworf" TV show theme in conjunction with lame electric guitar stabs and somehow makes it work. Illogical and unexpected, but true. Elsewhere, he struggles a bit harder to hold my attention, but even at his cheesiest (and oh my god, does it get cheesy), he never totally provokes my derision. That is, assuming I don't think too hard about it. So, while "In gumbo" has never been in danger of entering my regular rotation, I can definitely see myself dropping a track into a mix from time to time. That's enough to earn a reserved recommendation.
- Avi Roig