JakoJako Tết 41

Tết 41 is the latest record by modular synthesist and Berghain resident JakoJako (Sibel Koçer), marking her album debut for Mute. This is a release driven by Koçer’s desire to connect with her heritage and to document the potentials of analogue and modular synthesis. Available on vinyl in a limited run of just 500 copies worldwide. Recorded during a trip to Vietnam and bookended by field recordings from Tết Lunar New Year celebrations, the album is illuminated by references to her cultural roots. The melodic palette breaks away from traditional Western scales, drawing instead from the tonal intricacies of the Vietnamese language, inspired by overheard conversations of the locals. The album and track titles, written in Vietnamese, further honour the vibrant Tết festivities, shrines, and landmarks she encountered during her travels. Hailed by The Berliner as “one of the city’s most sought-after electronic artists,” the album is rooted in Koçer’s deep understanding of machine-based music. Tết 41 was crafted with a minimalist setup consisting of a Eurorack and Waldorf Iridium Core, and is a mesmerising blend of “quasi-still” ambient soundscapes and otherworldly compositions. As she vividly describes it, the album sounds “a bit like an empty alien stomach.” The most remarkable aspect of Tết 41 is how it continues JakoJako’s track record of creating fully realised works, despite still being at the dawn of her artistic evolution as a rising force in electronic music.