Album Review
Goldkimono – This One’s On The House
Goldkimono is the recording name of Dutch producer /writer / artist Marjtin ‘Tienus’ Konijnenburg. This One’s On The House is his third album, released on his own record label and produced by Tim Bran (London Grammar, Birdy). It was recorded between Amsterdam, London and his home in California.
It’s a smooth and upbeat album, with the occasional punch, and is very difficult to ascribe to a musical genre. There are elements of eighties funk and soul, but with a modern production sheen on top. Some new wave sounds and electronic elements creep in, and there are occasional rhythms that sound reggae like or even African in origin. While a large array of musical instruments is used over the thirteen tracks on the album, there is a feeling that the expressive vocals are always the heart of the music.
The opening track Got A Long Way To Go is funk based with a trumpet melody, and is followed by the title track, which feels like a mix of soul and jazz, the flowing music anchored by an excellent bass line. I’m In Heaven is slower and full of 80s retro vibes, while Wynona tells of a recently ended relationship in a strong track that is more guitar focused than most. The album’s first single Lifetime sits in the centre and is perhaps the album’s highlight. There are elements of a reggae sound, particularly in the vocal delivery of the verses, in a track that encourages living life in the real world, away from ever present electronic devices.
Much of the album feels reflective, but there are different approaches in places too. Do You Remember is faster paced, the opening sounding a bit like a Talking Heads outtake. The Only Place I Know has a more discordant vibe with a feeling of anger coming through the vocals. We Love It closes the album with a defiant, almost anthemic, call to choose life over fear.
Goldkimono has a philosophical approach to songwriting and there is a lot to discover within the lyrics of these songs, which often challenge the listener to change their approach to life. It’s a bold statement, matched by a musical approach that is bright and varied.
Release date: 13 June 2025
Label: Camp Kimono Records