Kettel – Smiling Little Cow

"Smiling Little Cow" is like Dreim 2.0, with ideas executed with even more wizardry than before. You can feel the same fun vibe, full of mind-blowing melodies, still crafted with a cute, naive, everlasting joy aesthetics.

What came after this album (except the "Look At This Ha Ha Ha!" album released in 2003, which is actually made of early Kettel tracks from 1999-2001) is quite a different Kettel. Indeed, with "Cenny Crush" (released in late 2002), Reimer began to include some acoustic instruments (that you can hear a lot more in "Whisper Me Wishes" in 2007, a release made of a lot of tracks from 2003). And later, in 2005/6, Kettel includes the famous acid synth he is now famous for.
So, with "Smiling Little Cow", you've got the creative peak time of the early Kettel, and I think that's the reason why this album is particularly appreciated by some fans.

The green, countryside mood meets lo-fi, numerical (but still very human) aesthetics, and the result is absolutely stunning. Overmore, time is proving that it tends to sound absolutely timeless.
The cover-art made of a simple drawing of a cow & some flowers, with a more technologic typography to write "Smiling Little Cow", is actually a good way to describe this fresh contrast. Tracks like "Her thin Voice", "Teacup And Pistolette", "Green, Orange, Earth" or "Be Nice Dust" are some of the best adventures Kettel has ever created. Talking about "Teacup And Pistolette", I think it's a track I would choose if I really had to keep only two or three tracks from Kettel, simply because his unique bucolic, cheerful and positiv vibe is really shining more than ever inside. If you forget to drink your favourite orange juice in the morning, listen to this track, you obtain the same vitamin boost!

This album is a cornerstone in Kettel's discography. If I had to keep only 2 albums by Kettel, it would be "Through Friendly Waters" and this one. This smiling cow became a solid friend of mine. = )

Only 1 word is needed to describe this album – smashing! None of the other Reimer's releases can do better. A simple and harmonious sound, beautiful melodies, deliberate concept and a lot of cheerfulness – just as sound of water, music flows into your ears giving a lot of pleasure. One track is especially outstanding – Life Nine Sky – reminds me of Autechre's best times.