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praise for 2D1iO

10 february 2025

in the early days of 2023, i was preparing for the ultimate turning point of my youth. i was starting my last semester of high school, so when i wasn't zeroed in on my classes or job, i was filling out paperwork and studying for college entry exams. all the while, between my shifts and long hours of research, i was contemplating an important personal decision that, while risky, could ultimately save me a lot of stress in the long term. the stakes felt higher than ever, and though i had a decent support network to turn to at the time, i often found my escape through music… that was when i discovered the work of tankakuka.

…well, not exactly. i'd unknowingly encountered her a couple years prior through don't funk at night, but i suppose that's beside the point. i can't quite recall how i got my first real taste of her sound, though i can only assume the streaming algorithm recommended her to me through another furry musician or something along those lines? nevertheless, my first time listening to lost not found was lifechanging. never before had i heard a musician that quite occupied the niche she explores, especially not the abstract direction conveyed through that particular track. the eerie, backward sound of the lead violin interlaced with the harsh, echoing chirps of synthesizers creates a mysterious and adventurous sound that really does convey a certain feeling of being lost. the music is further complemented by its hauntingly beautiful, tritone cover art, also produced by kuka herself. the ominous, "icy" vibe of lost not found made it an excellent addition to the winter playlist on which it soon landed.

just two days after i started listening, she dropped another track titled optional. her music proved to scratch an itch i didn't know i had, which is why i find it especially funny that i apparently didn't discover the new release for a couple months. i suppose, however, that it couldn't have come into my life at a better time — tensions only felt all the higher as winter melted into spring, the deadlines closed in, and my "window of opportunity" became razor-thin. the energetic, gamey instrumental tastefully contrasted kuka's previous work, even featuring an inverted palette in its cover art, and overall reflected the feelings of apprehension and resolve that consumed me at the time. it became something of an anthem in my mind as i envisioned the future i'd been working toward, rode out the last few weeks of exams, and prepared to dive headfirst into one of my greatest fears.

"a little bit of revisiting"

i say all this not only to establish the roots of my appreciation for the artist's craft, but also because i've had the honor of falling back in love with these tracks two years down the line. 2D1iO is tankakuka's second (completed) album, and much like that classic pair of tunes, it takes a radically different approach compared to its predecessor. centience is a beautiful album, absolutely deserving of praise all its own, constructed with the vision of being a highly cohesive piece. some of its tracks transition into each other, and the work in its entirety tells the story of a year in kuka's life without a single spoken word. while maintaining a sense of continuity through certain motifs, like even the release date and total runtime referencing the number 210 in some way, its followup is a variety album featuring a contrastier medley of works. what started as a simple remaster of lost not found and optional on new software has expanded to feature brand new contents ranging from a concept for a retro character select screen to a… shockingly catchy rap about a fast food order… some of which, for the first time in kuka's discography, feature vocals!

the new renditions of those older tracks are more or less the same — kuka herself describes LOST NOT FOUND as being "more bassy" which noticeably offers more body to the track, and while OPTIONAL is supposedly more or less unchanged, it seems to carry far more clarity through even its busiest sections, a subtle but much appreciated upgrade. while they'll always have a special place in my heart i'd argue that TO THE ONE I OWE, the first and vaguely titular song, has taken my proverbial cake. featuring striking talkbox vocals, a sampling of her most iconic bitcrushed instruments, and a jazzy saxophone section reminiscent of the iconic solo from femtanyl's DINNER!, the lyrics tell a story about love, regrets and patience while that snappy instrumental sets an invigorating scene and more than earns its place at the forefront of the album.

easing into a fresh new direction

despite featuring a unique sound not particularly common in her other works, RED EYE RETROSPECT may act as a better introduction to tankakuka's contemporary style of composition than the title track itself, a reimagining of LOST NOT FOUND in a jungle style which therefore provides a direct contrast to the beat-for-beat remake featured earlier on. the change in tone is made immediately obvious with a slow, deep and echoing rendition of the classic introduction, soon joined by a persistent breakbeat and lead instruments including a new, whistling tone which precedes and complements the returning violin and… what i admittedly didn't realize was supposed to be a digital organ until i researched the production of 2D1iO.

lively and gamey

it took a little while for AQUA RGB to resonate with me, but i immediately recognized that the wildly catchy tune manages to capture a certain energy that i think well reflects its ROBLOX roots. leagues above any other vaguely aquatyic steelpan track i'd heard in the past, it features a fun bell line, a sample that may or may not have originated from that one video that sounds like a baby alien playing with a pvc pipe, and while i don't know if they could exactly be called vocals here, a groan tube-like talkbox line that's been stuck in my head since my first listen. it's followed by TAKE DISORDER, the fast food rap in question, which on top of being incredibly punchy and catchy features an eccentric mix of bass and percussion elements, as well as what i believe to be a sample from deirdre by the beach boys — you may also recognize it from such uses as in the penultimate arena of mother 2!

TONE-BLIND feels like it should be my favorite track; if i had to guess, it'll end up being the "underrated gem" of the album. apparently made for some sort of character select screen during an event last christmas, the track leans far heavier into that cool retro sampling peppered throughout the album, and i also feel there's something of a restrained tension that inspired more of an interrogative scene in my mind before i discovered the full context of its creation. now i'm not quite sure how to put it into words but the next new track, AIRE AZURE, feels very… neo? and i suppose that makes sense, considering it bears the mantles of both being one of the first originals conceptualized for this album, and becoming something of a re-take on a classic; this time, of course, it's OPTIONAL's turn. the track borrows some instruments and motifs from its predecessor but takes them in a very different direction; where RED EYE RETROSPECT was given more intensity, AIRE AZURE seems comparatively relaxed. i could almost imagine it as an exploratory overworld theme in comparison to the fighting spirit of the classic, especially given the relative subtlety of the links between this pair.

going out with a bang (or two)

i think OTHER ISLE has impacted me in more ways than practically any musical work i've experienced. kuka posted some of the first demo work for the track last spring and i was immediately captivated by its intense and harsh energy, the shifting metallic synth whispering just behind the main melodies, and a few experimental arrangements that have since been discarded. that being said, the newer portions that came to form around the remains of that original rendition only add to the otherworldly, electric tone… did i mention this track started as an april fool's joke revolving around an alternate take for tankakuka's oc project, SOUL RING? i've been itching to bring it up all this time because while the supposed game remains shrouded in mystery, mostly being worked on quietly in private, listening to her work with the knowledge that you're getting glimpses into both her real and fictionalized points of view is downright fascinating. the track itself slows down just as quickly as it came, reduced to a bassy and positively robotic outro that closes 2D1iO on perhaps one of its highest notes.

…or does it? GOT THAT DOG I THINK was a surprise addition to the tracklist, only shown off thus far as a bonus track during the bandcamp encore a few hours after the official drop, and talk about a surprise hit! the funky guitar intro transitions into an energetic, crunchy refrain, both of which are further supported by a cacophony of unconventional additions like barks and quacks. while it's doubtful the track will recieve much in the way of further releases or recognition due to how many of its elements are sampled, i thought it was a fun way to celebrate the album and end its release celebrations off on a high note.

plenty of visual appeal, too

these twenty-two minutes and ten seconds of wonderful music are complemented by album art that both calls back to and dareisay far supercedes the covers made for the tracks remastered within. the original draft, pictured above and used throughout much of the album's development, is far rougher than the final selection, but i think the sketchy style made for a succinct reflection of the anticipation of the final release, as well as the overall feeling that the album simultaneously represented a return to the classics and something very new.

the branding takes a much bigger focus in the final selection, with beautiful typography and just enough contrast against the rest of the art. the overall composition, the final selections, while still maintaining a few playful hints of that sketchy look from the original draft, takes better advantage of the four colors of the palette, really making it look and feel like the perfect clash between OPTIONAL and LOST NOT FOUND, and features spectacularly-rendered fullbody art of two of kuka's mascot characters, leeds and… well, kuka. she also spent hours on a seammlessly-animated version of that already beautiful art for promotional content, like the official video release! though it doesn't really apply here, in a situation where i watched the album become what it is today over the course of more than a year, i sometimes find it harder to visualize the sheer amount of work and revision that goes into nonvisual art. if you're anything like me in that regard, though, let kuka's video work and all of its insane visuals speak for itself on the volumes of love and effort that went into finishing 2D1iO.

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i feel like i could gush about this album forever! but i also feel that there's not much left for me to say, both because i want people to experience the album for themselves, and because this is my first attempt to write a longform review for music! i hope it was enjoyable, and that my words here inspired you to give it a listen. 2D1iO is in the process of releasing wherever you stream your music, but if you want to support tankakuka directly, actually own a copy of the album, and check out more of her discography than you can find anywhere else, i implore you to throw some cash her way on bandcamp!