Reviews

Whether they're reconfiguring late 1970s minimalism or early 21st century field recordings, or curating their ever-expanding Tu M'p3 archive, Rossano Polidoro and Emiliano Romanelli attack their work with the speed and flair that is evident in ‘Pink Shark's’ deft handrawn cover artwork. Coil's ‘worship the glitch’ line could have been invented with the Italian laptoppers in mind. The duo's hands-on working method, allowing the sheer physicality of the source material to determine the overall structure of the album's ten pieces, has produced one of the freshest and spunkiest electronica outings of the year. ‘ Dangerous Toys’ is full of the punch and energy of Tigerbeat6 without the cocky attitude, like one of those children's playthings that springs open when you're least expecting it, scattering bright shiny plastic things in all directions. Elsewhere there are affectionate nods back at the whole recent history of popular electronic music, from the thunks and squiggles of early electro (‘Your Secret DSP’) via the bleaker zones of Chicago House (‘Earguard’) to the opulent glitched quasi-dub of ‘Lesson No 3’ and the smudged nocturnal wonders of Stephan Mathieu and Ekkehard Ehlers's ‘Heroin’ (‘Your Sky Is Green’). Whether the backbeat is hidden in the foliage or swinging in your face like Tarzan (the sweaty muscle of ‘Seem…’), electronic music hasn't been so much fun since Richard D James burnt his bra. — Dan Warburton, The Wire

Released in 2004, Pink Shark was the first Phthalo release by Italian duo Emiliano Romanelli and Rossano Polidoro. A compelling, structurally erratic glitch album, Pink Shark still sounds adventurous and fresh in 2010 on this digital reissue. This is also a far more rhythmic and immediate album than the drone-based, abstract likes of last year's Monochromes Vol.1, released via the Line label; the squeaks and pops of 'Your Secret DSP' introduce the record with a convulsing slapstick quality, while 'Lesson No. 3' could almost pass for a house or techno record (albeit one made by Oval). Further interesting pieces crop up in the form of 'Ear Guard', 'Untitled 02' and 'Your Sky Is Green', all of which quite beautifully shatter audio into disorganised pieces from which obscure beat patterns arise. — Boomkat.com

Pink Shark is a rhythmic aural pleasure swimming with bubbly pitter-patter, shimmering tones and delicious sonic dissonance. Tu m' are a fantastic discovery. — Gus Mastrapa, Dublab.com

A jawful of splintered sonics! — Hoseh, Headspace, KXLU Los Angeles

Pink Shark (cd, phatalo) invece è una sorta di ‘tributo’ all'i.d.m ad opera degli infaticabili ed impeccabili Tu m'. E se durante l'ascolto vengono alla mente nomi grossi, addirittura ingombranti come per esempio Aphex Twin, ci si rende conto che è con questo, per esempio, che bisognerebbe fare i conti se solo si frenasse per un attimo l'affannosa ricerca del nuovo e dello stiloso. Ma forse i Tu m', anzi ne sono certo, non sono degli ingenui e sono perfettamente consapevoli che non basta saper usare un Max Msp o un Ableton per essere al passo dei tempi, bensì dimostrano di sforzarsi e riuscire a sviluppare sempre di più una propria personalità. Anche quando si confrontano spudoratamente con i loro fratelli maggiori. — Marco Altavilla, Exibart