drawn to... Vertigo KO by Phew

Why not draw while listening to a variety of LPs? It seemed like a simple enough premise, and, in these COVID-times, I thought it'd be a good time-filler, and it was. I decided to start this mini-project with Vertigo KO by Phew (aka Hiromi Moritani). I only discovered Phew's work in 2019, when I stumbled across the Patience Soup video. I went on to buy Light Sleep and, more recently, Vertigo KO, released in September 2020. Due to COVID, I have yet to open the vinyl copy I ordered (as it's in a different country), and so I've been listening to the digital version these past few months.

There's a feeling you get when you discover a new artist; a new sound, one with a unique way of doing things that you find immediately appealing—even familiar—like a missing piece in an unfinished jigsaw; a piece that fills its own particular space. However, it's not a feeling I get very often with music or art, it's something quite special and rare, but when it does show its face, I recognise it instinctively. There are uplifting moments on Vertigo KO, but for the most part, it occupies a bleak future-present; one that is cut-up with odd, analogue electronics and sparse, distinctive vocals. It's become something of a personal soundtrack to 2020. As Phew said about the LP,

“This album is an unconscious sound sketch... The hidden message of this album is: What a terrible world we live in, but let’s survive.”

blind cover | pens, pencils, highlighter, oyster shell | 10cm x 10cm card | 7 December 2020

The blind drawing above (literally done with eyes closed) is the last one I did in this series. I drew it while listening through to the LP a second time. The idea was to create an imaginary LP cover, but the resulting drawing suggested I develop it into a character (see below). I'm calling him 'hungry man'.

I made a different drawing while listening to each track on Vertigo KO, and I changed pens, pencils, and highlighters each time. EDIT: 28 April, 2025. For now, this is the only drawing from this LP that I have reworked and still like.

hungry man finished | pens, pencils, highlighter, oyster shell | 10cm x 10cm card | 7 December 2020

Originally posted (with other drawings) on December 16, 2020 on my old website.