Career
Kumo came into existence in 1994 when composer, producer, engineer and arranger Jono Podmore began work at Watershed Studios, London and with Plink Plonk records, founding 2 sister labels to Plink Plonk: Autoi and Psychomat. He began to play the theremin, developing new techniques for live performance of electronic music After a string of singles, remixes, live dates and international DJ commitments as Kumo, March 1997 saw the release of his first album Kaminari to significant critical acclaim.
1997 was also the year that Kumoo moved temporarily to France to work with Irmin Schmidt (of Can) on his opera Gormenghast, which premiered in 1998 and was re-staged in 2004.
A selection from the opera was released on Spoon/Mute records in 2000. October 2000 saw the release of the second Kumo album 1+1=1 on Spoon Records.
In 2001, after extensive touring including the Sonar festival, the London Jazz Festival and the Can Solo Projects tour, the first Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album Masters of Confusion was released worldwide. Later the same year they created the sound installation Flies, Guys and Choirs for the Barbican Centre as part of the Elektronik festival.
The installation is now available as a sonic experience for public spaces.
The duo continue to perform and give workshops together across Europe and work on film and television music together including award winning German television series and dramas. After further live appearances together, work began on a second Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album and the duo also made remixes (including PIL). Performed live, held workshops in Germany and Portugal.
And produced the album dot i/o for Mito Ichikawa.
The second Irmin Schmidt and Kumo album, Axolotl Eyes, was released in Spring 2008 on Spoon/Mute/Warners and was set for release in Japan on P-Vine Autumn 2008. The 7 track album comes with a bonus Digital Video Disc containing the complete sound installation Flies, Guys and Choirs in 5.1, accompanied by a 2-hour film by Jono and Sandra Podmore with Kate Shipp.
The Digital Video Disc was screened at the Sonar festival, Barcelona. Les Chants Mechaniques festival, Lille.
And for the entire Short Circuit festival, The Roundhouse, London, May 2011
A four track Kumo European Parliament entitled Metapolis has recently become available on iTunes and further releases are planned.
In late 2009 Jono founded a new and ongoing analogue electronic music collective Metamono. With critically praised analogue only releases and legendary live events under their belt, the first vinyl release Tape European Parliament was released 23rd January 2012.
