Trikk - Fauna & Flora: Drawing from the past and present: a vision into the future

In the last 100 years, modern culture has been widely influenced by music. Music genres have been invented, adapted and merged. Influence upon influence, influence upon sounds; sounds which have been pushed and pulled apart - reborn once more to countless avenues. And here in 2023, it still plays an equally important role in culture as it ever did. Music will, endlessly, come in swings and roundabout: music is power. 

Those with their ears pinned to the underground dance are all aware of Trikk. A forward-thinking innovator who stands strong in his unique musical persona, he does not conform to any trends or try to fulfil any expectations. His music has always struck a sophisticated and individual note, feeling like it comes straight from the heart. His music catalogue has now been lengthened by ten tracks, in the form of Fauna & Flora, released on Innervisions. A big, bold release: this debut album is a giant step outside his comfort zone - further than we’ve ever seen him leap before.

‘Fauna & Flora’ was not a solo effort. A handpicked few made this record what it is. To push him into new boundaries and learn to walk unrecognisable territories, Trikk collaborated with different artists outside his usual musical sphere. And to add, elements in the album were created in Frank Weidemann’s studio, polished off by Dixon for the executive-producing finishing touch. This is no ordinary album: it’s a very special collaboration which has resulted in something so much higher than your average.

The craftsmanship of Fauna & Flora is so vast, that naturally, it is a work of art which cannot be listened to just once to understand the concept - not even twice. In fact, it requires several listens over to even envision the first foundations of its story. With every listen, more and more pieces unlock and you begin to understand so many thoughts and ideas along the way. No listen is ever the same, to any singular person. From the cited nods to post punk, Baile Funk and Techno, the album also sophistically blends undertones of Leftfield, Breakbeats and New Wave with Rock and Indie. Each track presents to us a snapshot in several different decades, but with a modern escape; this is an album which is sure to appeal to a broadened audience. ‘Fauna & Flora’ is an album steeped in a complex offering of genres, where it draws on the desires of the past and takes in the senses of the present, seeing Trikk pair it with his own musical destiny for the future ahead. Indeed, there is so much of this complexity, but it’s also crafted together so effortlessly, so intelligently. 

Layers upon layers of sounds: Fauna & Flora is the clamour, the chaos and the hard-edged glitz. 

Mapa

Breezing in easy, introductory ‘Mapa’ invites us in with its slow tempo and calm composure. Our minds and bodies, relaxed. Just like a fresh day, where the sun rises across the terrain (Fauna), as a scattering of flowers (Flora) open themselves to the possibilities ahead. Soft touches of echoing chimes ping, like glass water droplets rolling from the petals and splashing onto the ground with grace. The corealla awakens to the delicate warmth of the sunshine; the air whistling and swooning to its own tune. Pause, and break: a guitar amplifies to mark the transition into a new sound, as drum kick stamps its beginning marks, curating a new rhythm as another guitar wails a soft-sunken melody. Rising into the sky, as flickers of the sun glisten like gold dust, the atmosphere is magical. A new day begins, a new dawn of Trikk’s sound has arrived.

We’re ready.

Don’t Forget To Breathe

The big, booming drum kicks its beat like the heart pulsating against the rib cage nervously: we find ourselves in the familiar. For us and Trikk, ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’ was the beginning of it all. He noted online, just before the release, of how important the track was for his transformational journey: “I knew this was gonna be the track that pushed everything forward and set the tone for what “Fauna & Flora” was gonna become.” ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’ is a perfectly balanced track, where it showcases the light and the dark. Through every up and down, there’s an extreme to match the underside. Wretched in its eerie demeanour, the vocals lull, slowly inviting us inwards. The ingredients are kept simple: a flat-headed drum, intermixed with thunderous blurs and occasional electric convulsions, which cue in suspense and gloss in a touch of emotion. Diamond-drenched chords crown its substance. The power of Jens Kuross’ wickedly captivating vocals in ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’ are strong and showcase a new avenue for Trikk - utilising new methods to transform his productions to different heights. Jens’ soft and calming voice balances out the striking - sometimes harder - musical composition. It does lend itself a pop-infused edge, yet the grittier notions don’t allow it to escape to a commercialised territory just yet. The theme balance is sewn through the essence of ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’, where it rides through the darkness and into the light. 

Ordem

We’re wittingly forewarned, as ‘Ordem’ enters into our lives with such gusto and power. There’s no mistaking it’s here. Did we remember to breathe? An explosion of metal chunks punch and pierce through - brazen and bold like no tomorrow. Laying the groundwork, a deep clay, dubby baritone note pipes out, stretches and vibrates. All is not lost, for not even a minute passes and a slither of silver emerges from the shadows: a mellow, candescent glow of harped melody sings. The rather romantic, demi-balearic chords draw out, with strings which croon the matching melody, playing to emotional expression. Like a Femme Fatal, ‘Ordem’ is that of a bitter-sweet balance: utterly captivating and comes with a big bite. At times, the love story passes into unhealthy boundaries and throws the balance off, but the exaggerated electronic notes wind themselves in gently and its love story is intertwined for the remainder. ‘Ordem’ is a marriage of melody and bass, flushed with bruised chords which linger around for a garnish of added depth. 

Absolute Body Control

Turning the page to something new: Trikk dishes up a serving of Post-Punk-infused goodness. Instantly, ‘Absolute Body Control’ opens up ‘Fauna & Flora’ to an indie-inspired stance: we’re talking poetic-synth beats with a rockstar edge. ‘Absolute Body Control’ shines as a collaborative effort with IV teammate Jimi Jules - both have shared the decks together before, but a song tied to their names? No. This results in a raw and exciting output. ‘Absolute Body Control’ is an all-consuming emotion of character: unfettered, untouched. Its repetitive nature of vocals call out to our conscious, like a stream of being awake without knowing, yet in control. There’s a healthy portion of Post-Punk and New Wave elements in this track: take the monotone vocals and the guitar-laden melody polished off with twangs of snappy claps. A simple hook nods to a Punk sound: it’s catchy and rhythmic as hell! And just like Punk, which never conforms to the norm, ‘Absolute Body Control’ is a boundary-breaking vision of Trikk and Jimi, bringing a sassier dance-infused edge to the indie sound. The tiny pockets of movement take us on an adventure of experimentation - the fabrication of blistering vocals plead us into a speaking spell, pinned by caged cowbell as the rhythm shimmies along. A swaggering somersault of experimental chic.

Regado

As the second single release of the album, it didn’t take long for Trikk to slip back into his dance-music-production roots. ‘Regado’ is a track catered for not just the usual fanbase, but also for lovers of harder-hitting techno sounds. This is a track which is a masterclass in how to keep composure and sensibility, even in the nuanced chaos. Like already flavoured throughout the album, ‘Regado’ is formed upon a rigid and heavy beat as the beginning layers. But now we’ve reached a point where such intense elements demand more - and more is eagerly given. The four-to-floor bassline is abuzz with pelts of daggered stabs, which shell down in sheer power, as electrified hums bubble and soar to higher perspectives. Oh so electric is this concoction - all so flying around - that our heads begin to spin, until we’re given some malleable realness with tribal drums which kick themselves into the structure. ‘Regado’ instantly makes its name as a dancefloor belter within the first murmur, but as time ticks on, a smooth cinematic scope arises. Yes, the smooth and natural blushes of scenic spheres may be playing opposite games with the heavy footed climate, but the orchestral tones transform ‘Regado’ into something which yields more soul. Sonic drops falling and trickling down capture our breath, revolving round into a hypnotic glare, before stabbing drum beats pour out once again: continuing the unstoppable rhythm; uncaged, manic - and with no escape in sight. 

Yard Judge

A portrait of slick psychedelica so reminiscent of 90s grunge; ‘Yard Judge’ slips and slides around in a euphoric atmosphere, with a moody hypnotic haze. The guitar withers like an enigma. A constellation of many minor-sounding elements push themselves out, with harsh, high-fashioned vocals slipping around like glycerine and almost breaking character. A trippin’, slippin’ drumbeat scores extra Avant Garde points, as cuts of sonic outerworld pieces fizzle through, piercing through the haze, almost close to blowing the smoke apart. The droning guitar whistle oozes like cold, dark tar and captures us in the trance of delusion. ‘Yard Judge’ might not be a big or drastic hitter compared to other pieces in ‘Fauna & Flora’ but it offers itself as a vibe to absorb the emotions from high to low - squeezing out any disdain. Withered, fading - like the dying of the light - the closing cranky bass sprinkles in more moodiness and makes our hips circle and sway. 

Mata Mata

Trikk brings in second album collaborator with ‘Mata Mata’. Brazilian born Gabriel Massan makes it only right that the track is fused around Baile Funk - an important part of the country’s culture, which is central to the sounds which follow.. The beat-boxing, snared basskick makes ‘Mata Mata’ one which is impossible to not want to dance to within its first cut, as the vocals of visual artist and MC Massan spit themselves over. Rhythming samba drumming infuses plenty of carnival vibes, as a critically pitched tone adds to the heavy, all-guns-blazing feel. Massan’s vocals, like devilish whispers, pierce over, adding to the choppy and cutting sense of adventure envisioned throughout.

Pandemonio
‘Pandemonio’ is a pandemonium - a wild and noisy disorder in its true meaning. And what a wild and savage commotion we find ourselves in, seven tracks deep into the album. With a whole horizon of concepts built up to now, ‘Pandemonio’ funnels a more mature edge, like Trikk is showcasing a plenty of different styles and techniques he’s picked up along the way. ‘Pandemonio’ is an algorithm of throbbing bass which pounds away in a blazing loop, where exasperated garage thuds swish, sway and slump around. The compound showcases a burning temperament, dashed with a handful of organic sounds for a fresh-faced, hot affair. The influence of garage and dub only broods stronger with every step. Quivering whomps tremble and pierce more until such intensity makes us fall, disorientated. Like a shot of adrenaline, a shrill sonic note galvanises to a higher pitch to get us seeing straight again. ‘Pandemonio’ is a colossal monster, which as it suggests is a mad, bad whirlwind of chaos. Its movement and complexity is a reflection of all ideas which have been streaming through Trikk’s head - sometimes which he has probably found too hard to contain.

TXKX

Emerging from another experimental highway: ‘TXKX’ is a wobbly, dubby delight which channels another vision of Trikk’s ever-metamorphosing mind. ‘TXKX’ showcases a fringe of so many influences, with all pieces delicately tied together; but yet, with such stiff stamina, that they never break or fall apart - a restless fighting spirit marches on and keeps any emotions out of the game. From the prisms of the smoke, the drums hammer and hound towards us. As a bassy-buzz encircles the beats so they don’t escape, a stormy kick of the trap-infused techno structure leads the path to destruction - it claps and snaps back every so often for an electro rush. A shrill whistle brings a fun touch of character to this abstract meadow of madness; it’s wispy and delivers us to dizzying new heights. Even though ‘TXKX’ is formed of simple, minimal layers, the mechanical output seems much more complicated. An inventive blizzard which twirls and whirls, ‘TXKX’ is a hard and ambitious formula of Trikk past and present: a somewhat sharp and futuristic snapshot of what artist he is turning into? Whilst ‘Pandemonio’ alluded to scrambled inner-head chaos, ‘TXKX’ paints a clear, forward-facing portrait. 

Ouro (Love Trippin)

And through all the darkness and chaos, comes the light: the grand finale we know as ‘Ouro’. Beautiful, romantic, bewildering - this closing is filled with so many fragments of the heart and head; it’s like a love letter in musical form.
What’s interesting about the track is the uncanny reflection it strikes with The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ album. Throughout ‘Fauna & Flora’, we’ve heard prominent influences from music made in the late 70s and beyond - but ‘Ouro’ muses essence from tracks on the 1969 classic such as ‘Sun King’, ‘Golden Slumbers’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’, all of which showcase lush vocals upon soft orchestral harmonies. For this last track, Trikk brings in producer Feon. It opens with a soft reprising vocal of ‘Ouro’ singing out to seat us in gently, with the first verse leading into ‘Love trippin’ singing out again, and again, in a cinematic arrangement: gently wrapping around the soul like a soft breeze. As a bass strums delicately, this dainty folklore arrangement is paired with a soft drum kick to swim into motion. “Is it death or is it heaven?” we hear - ‘Ouro’ is a striking portrait of heartbreak, but with no sadness attached. Halfway through it’s given the Trikk treatment: a softened blur grazes upwards, giving the vocals some solitude. “Heaven after all” sings in bright beams of harmony - the question asked throughout, answered. Like poetry, ‘Ouro’ is a dreamy composition - a pouring of emotion to close the album so spectacularly. 

Endless hours of learning, experimenting, creating and progressing - along with Trikk’s personal knowledge - has resulted in this dynamic opus. ‘Fauna & Flora’ is a profound and heartfelt album, as beautiful as it is diverse: a substantial addition to both Trikk’s and Innervisions discography. Rising from the unknown and capturing snapshots of moments in time where there seemed no direction, ‘Fauna & Flora’ is an immense portrait of Trikk’s mind, showcasing his vulnerability and resilience, as well as his capability to push musical boundaries further than he ever imagined. It’s a pivotal point which has transformed him from an artist/DJ/producer into a versatile and talented musician.

Musically, the approach to different genres, textures and rabbit holes of emotion is what makes this album an absolute pleasure to listen to, again and again. Even with all the influences of the sounds showcased, he has added his own personal flair - from the interwoven, lightning-paced elements of ‘Regardo’ and Pandemonioand lush, soul-searching textures of ‘Ordem’ - to the big-floor, stuck-in-your-head lyrics of ‘Don’t Forget To Breathe’, this album has originality plastered all over it, in every inch of its being. The slow-burning crossover of genres also makes this an album for many, regardless of the music you are attached to. An enduring collection of sounds, this is an album made to stand the test of time. 

Fauna & Flora: A vision of all that has come and served - a homage and celebration of music and culture, from the past and into the present. 

review by Joanne Philpott

'Fauna & Flora’ was released on 17.02.23 on Innervisions
Artwork by Gabriel Finotti - Sometimes Always
Mixdown and mastering by Matthew Styles