Kon Kan

Kon Kan sounds like the intersection of a high-end recording studio and a late-80s dance club. The music is defined by its clever use of sampling, often pulling from unexpected sources like classic country or hard rock and recontextualizing them within a polished electronic framework. It is rhythmic, catchy, and carries a distinctively cool, slightly detached vocal delivery that keeps it from feeling too sugary.

What truly sets this project apart is its post-modern approach to the pop song. Barry Harris treated the sampler as a lead instrument, creating a collage of sounds that felt futuristic at the time and now serves as a perfect time capsule of early digital production. The contrast between the mechanical precision of the drum machines and the organic warmth of the sampled melodies creates a unique tension that is both danceable and intellectually engaging.

Start with the debut album Move to Move. It contains the quintessential hits that defined the project's sound and showcases the masterful blending of house music energy with synth-pop songwriting. It is the ideal entry point for anyone looking to understand the transition from the New Wave era into the 90s dance explosion.