Afrirampo – We Are Uchu No Ko

Having disbanded in July of this year, this latest release from Osaka-based sister duo Afrirampo may well represent their swan song. Should that be the case, We Are Uchu No Ko is a fitting end to their eight year tenure, with a collection of tracks every bit as erratic, eccentric, and uniquely enigmatic as followers have come to expect.

Opening with the snarling, ripped-up rock of Miracle Lucky Girls, Oni and Pikachu live up to their legend with an amp-shattering start, before shifting into the deconstructed Sore Ga Afrirampo – all cartoon yelps, sporadic beats and general silliness. Elsewhere, the girls provide a ten minute avant-garde marathon with Umi, a hushed lullaby in the form of Hoshi No Uta (Part 1), and a career defining moment with the seismic Tou Zai Nan Boku. Ultimately, with moments of both mastery and madness, We Are Uchu No Ko, aptly ends Afrirampo legacy with an entirely unique release. [Paul Neeson]