electronic / experimental

Truthtable

Since the early 2000s Philippe Petit has been performing and playing on festivals all over the world. We could see him in action at the electronic music festival AntennA in Belgium just before the outbreak of the Covid crisis in 2020. We know the Frenchman  best as a member of the crazy avant-garde ensemble Strings Of Consciousness and for his collaborations with Murcof, Lydia Lunch, Stephen O'Malley, Scanner, Machinefabriek  and many many more.

Petit specializes in multi-channel diffusion, also known as acousmatic spatialization and modular synthesis. A Modern Atlantis Down Under A Wave Of Greed is the French sound artist's sixth release this year and fully reflects a modern form of Music Concréte. Petit cuts deep sonic sound structures with eerie reflections using various music technologies, modular systems, digital signal processing tools and mythical electronic instruments (Buchla and Synthi). He constructs menacing vibrations that merge with deceptive sirens of synthetic mermaids and likes to mislead the listener with his crazy approach to modulism, which he created the very first platform to promote this genre.

The electronically generated waves are manipulated using various effect processors, as well as general sound effects. Petit likes to be an undertaker of sound by burying its resonances, letting them rot and digging them back to the surface. He reconstructs these remains into new acousmatic pulses, fragmented vibes and kazoe voices. A Modern Atlantis Down Under A Wave Of Greed is an avant-garde interpretation of how Western greed is causing its own decline and the deeper sinking of our modern society. This album cuts all traditional electronic standards to pieces with new insights, improvisations and the experimental use of technology.

This album may sound brutal and sharp without producing loud noise and will be left out by the conservative electronica fans. We can only support the attitude and the innovative results of the implementations of Philippe Petit’s latest work. This musical travel agent (as he likes to be addressed)is confrontational, freewheeling, viscous and provocative like Frank Zappa was with rock music. A Modern Atlantis Down Under A Wave Of Greed is the beginning of a new path in the experimental electronic music genre. We are completely ready for this!

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Patsker

experimental

The German Marc Richter has been enchanting us for years with his detailed ambient and drone fabrics under the name Black to Comm. Richter also works under other aliases such as Mouchoir Étanche and Jemh Circs. On his previous album Seven Horses for Seven Kings, Richter focused more on dark places where fragments of deafening noise and sinister drones squeeze between the soaring ambient. On Oocyte Oil & Stolen Androgens the demons seem to be dissolved. 

The title track, which lasts more than seventeen minutes, contains deep emotional fragments of melancholy that are amplified with acoustic-sounding effects and thin piano touches. The experimental interweaving of samples in the layered ambient structures is (back) performed with German thoroughness.

Richter uses vocal fragments, complex percussion, loops and rustles, resulting in mystical and challenging tunes. Every sound structure and added connotations have been put together with a high level of finesse on this edition. On his sound carpets, Richter does not just flirt with minimalism, he is always looking for innovation with experimental manipulations that blossom out of his transpiring creativity.

Oocyte Oil & Stolen Androgens produces a captivating and deep listening journey with dreamlike sound tissues that have a hypnotic effect. With this subtle release, Richter once again proves that he is a permanent fixture as a unique voice of innovative music with a relatively low accessibility limit.
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Patsker

In June 2018 I wrote a series of Brieviews ("brief reviews") for Greek label Sound In Silence. This was one of the the first specials we did and several others have followed. Now, after a hiatus in  review writing, I noticed that the label has released six interesting releases available on their bandcamp page. So, this looks like the perfect opportunity to compose six new Brieviews to guide you through the magical world of Sound In Silence.

electronic / ambient / post rock

Released in November 2019, 'Phantom Lights' is a gentle and playful six track EP by Anglo-American act Memory Drawings. The band is the brainchild of Joel Hanson and features guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Richard Adams, violinist Sarah Kemp, pianist Gareth S Brown  and multi-instrumentalist Chris Cole.
The music moves between ambient, folk, classical music and post rock. It never gets heavy, intense or dark but always remains on a blissful, shimmering level. That's what makes this album such a pleasure to listen to. Tunes like 'Two Rooms' and 'The Final Curtain' can easily bring a smile to your face, even in these weird times.

I don't really know if I can draw references to other bands. Perhaps fans of Tortoise, Dakota Suite or Do May Say Think or Bark Psychosis. Fact remains, this is a nice album, destined to light up the gloomy days in your life.

ambient / electronic

Sound In Silence

Hailing from Paris, France, Astatine is the solo project of Stéphane Recrosio, known from the post rock / slowcore band Acetate Zero. On his first album for Sound In Silence, Astatine delivers no less than twenty tracks, varying from gloomy ambient pieces to gritty minimal rock songs. 

I think it's safe to say that this is not the easiest S.I.S. album to digest. With fuzzed out guitars, mumbles, distorted vocals and processed sounds, Astatine creates the atmosphere of many bedroom acts. There is a sense of loneliness here, laced with fear, anger and a constant urge to experiment.

Some of the songs are downright ugly, like grunge tunes without drums or bass, while others reveal the ramblings of a mad mind. In all, it's clear that this is not for everyone but fans of the experimental and avant garde will definitely enjoy these odd tunes.

ambient / electronic / post rock / downtempo

worriedaboutsatan is probably one of my favorite bands from the last decennium. I've seen them a few times at Dunk! festival where their magical sounds filled the forest and got hooked immediately. So, seeing this act appear on one of my favorite labels from the last decennium surely fills my ambient heart with joy.
Crystalline is worriedaboutsatan’s sixth full-length album and judging from the label's bandcamp page one of the most successful releases on Sound In Silence. To me this comes as no surprise. The act already has a loyal following, which is one reason. But, there is also the simple fact that 'Crystalline' is a brilliant album.

Once again combining elements from downtempo electronics, post rock and ambient, this album contains eight tracks. 'Open The Door' pretty much serves as an intro, luring the listener with sweet soundscapes. 'Steps Inside' places worriedaboutsatan right next to acts like Boards Of Canada, Plaid and Biosphere. This tune is a downtempo delight. 'Cali' is a beautiful guitar base ambient loop and 'Mirrors' perfectly combines these worlds. Oh well, let's just face it, this is a perfect worriedaboutsatan album, one I recommend to every self respecting slow music fan...

ambient / electronic / shoegaze

Vancouver based solo project Test Card is the brainchild of  Lee Nicholson. He returns for his third fill-length, his second on Sound In Silence. 'Music For The Towers' contains eight tracks and combines soothing ambient with gentle post rock. This is one of those albums to enjoy with your eyes closed. It's warm, calm and relaxing. What else could an ambient fan possibly desire?
Here the focus lies on hazy electronics, playful guitar loops and soft soundscapes, created with field recordings, synths and here and there some glitchy electronic noises. The result is something fans of Biosphere, Carbon Based Lifeforms and so on. Music for the soul...

ambient / electronic

This is already the seventh album by Ukrainian act Endless Melancholy, although it's his Sound In Silence debut. Fans of the project already know what to expect, namely exactly what the bandname promises. Soundscapes, synths and a gloomy atmosphere create an absolute beauty.
'A Perception Of Everything' contains nine tracks in which piano, field recordings and synths attempt to guide the listener on a journey through him/herself. Of these, 'Immersion' is probably my favorite but that's a tough decision to make. The whole album tells an interesting story, sometimes calm, sometimes experimental but always worth your attention.

ambient / electronic

I'm afraid that this edition of Brieviews specials is becoming an endless repetition of words like "soundscapes", "beautiful", "atmosphere", "drones", and so on. Like most other releases on this edition, this album by Manchester residing act Halftribe is a sweet and soothing ambient album, containing everything fans like about this genre. 
The album, another S.I.S. debut but already Halftribe's fifth, contains eleven tracks. Some of them remind me of acts like Stars Of The Lid while in others the sounds of Tim Hecker and Fennesz seem to have been an inspiration. Perfect music for a lazy and hazy Sunday afternoon, or any moment of any day for that matter.

Serge

electronic / experimental / jazz

Boring Machines

I guess I'm really into the somewhat stranger side of the musical spectrum today, which is a perfect opportunity to plug this odd little gem. As some of you will know, Boring Machines is known to release somewhat unusual records and this one is definitively no exception.
Divus is a duo from Rome, comprised of electronic musician and techno producer Luciano Lamanna and saxophone player Luca T. Mai, of world-renowned band ZU. In 2018 they released their debut, now followed by this vinyl in which they expand their experimental spectrum. The result is an awe-inspiring brood of electronics, free-jazz saxophones and grainy dance tunes.

It took me the whole four and a half minutes of opener 'C1' to get into the music Divus creates. There was ambient, but also saxophone sounds, so it had to be moving into the dark jazz direction, no? At one moment I thought, "Bohren und der Club of LSD". I'm still not sure if that is a compliment. 'C2' quickly made me forget about the confusion caused 'C1' and 'C3' completely blew my socks of. Remember Speedy J's 'A Shocking Hobby' album? Well, combine that with dark jazz saxophone sounds and you'll have Divus. Besides, 'C4' is a neat ambient jazz tune, much more minimal than its colleagues. 

Now, before you go thinking that this is another nice dark jazz album, remember the beats and breaks. From lazy dance inspired percussion to breakcore-vibes, Lamanna throws it all into the mix. It's not all easy digestible, or danceable, or understandable but it's unique and impressive. 'D2', for instance, is something from a dystopian movie soundtrack, driving on heavy beats and dreamy sax. This is my personal favorite. The trouble is, who to recommend this thing to? Jazz freaks? Not really. Dance fans? Oh no, certainly not. People who enjoy the weirder side of life and thus their music collection? Probably. Just check it out. You won't believe your ears...


Serge 

electronic / dreampop / new wave

When Michelle shared the video of Strangers with me, I quickly got convinced that this album could get me out of this semi-permanent writer's block. As you can read here, I was a huge fan of her previous work with Batsheba.

After months and months of struggling with practical problems, she, her lover Olivier, Jonas and David got the physical album ready just in time for the release show in Tilburg, which was planned today. Then Covid19 came. "We try to make the best of the situation," Michelle tells me. "In one way or another, all of this bad luck perfectly fits with the album." 

Theme of 'Strangers' is feeling like a stranger in this world. Both Olivier and Michelle are strangers to the genres of this album too, both being deeply rooted in the extreme metal scene. In the intro you can hear that transformation, with dreamy post-rock-ish guitars blending into electronics, a blend that will remain throughout the album. Already at this point, we can hear the broad spectrum of Michelle's vocals. To quote myself (is that allowed?): "She's got it all in her Swiss army knife: haunting whispers, angry cries, howls of despair, imploring & demonic chants, but of course also that unmistakabl​y heart-piercing,​ versatile alto that we know from​ Bathsheba's​ earlier work." No grunts or screams on 'Strangers' though, but keep a look on your heart because it shall be pierced.

​Musically, it's quite hard for me to put 'Strangers' in a genre box. There's dreamy guitarscapes, sound effects, noises, drums and other percussion, but some of the songs are pure 80's new wave, very danceable. Shoegaze, dreampop perhaps? "Pleasing ghosts with music," the band calls it ghostpop. There's warmth and coldness, melancholy and hope, blood and mercury - "something from space and something from earth." Yes, I agree. It feels organic and spacey at the same time.

Let's try comparable bands. Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins. Dare I say Pink Floyd? Yes I dare. The sound quality is superb, the songwriting is ingenious, there's enough variation. With every listen I become more and more enthusiastic. I really can't believe this is a debut... I hope we can see Of Blood and Mercury live one day!

This album contains strange music for strange people in strange times.


Eline

electronic / experimental

At the end of 2018, the five CD box of Onsturicheit entitled Wanneer De Herder Doolt, Zo Dolen De Schapen was released on the Wool-E label. Since that release, Peter Moorkens has been a regularly requested artist at electronic music festivals in Belgium. This also gave him the opportunity to provide the old (Post X) post building with a dashing set of electronic excesses. This captivating performance is the second official live release from the Littl 'Antenna Records label.

Neurotisch Verslapte Aandacht slowly starts with an experimental ambient piece made up of samples and modular synth structures. Moorkens likes to mislead his audience by incorporating all kinds of crazy improvisation pieces into his compositions. A bouquet of undulating soundscapes is squeezed out of the modular modules with guitar and voice, before being kneaded into new sonic confirmation with otherworldly sound transitions. Psychedelics and mysticism are electronically amplified with floating waves that bubble up transcendental feelings. 

Hearing and seeing Onsturicheit  is like entering a sonic spaceship that converts unknown signals into our Earth's sound dimensions. With elaborate electronics, once hovering than pulsating, Moorkens' hallucinatory sound world is presented layer by layer to unexpectedly take new electronically controlled roads. Humour is also injected into the sound waves with funny samples and field recordings that linger paradoxically as recognizable islands in the Onsturicheit dimension.

Neurotisch Verslapte Aandacht  is a neurotic electronic masterpiece in which the attention never weakens. The Adventure Paths of Onsturicheit have addictive and hallucinatory side effects which we welcome of course. We are devoted to this stunning (live) release. 

This Littl 'Antenna Records release is distributed under the wings of Wool-E Discs.

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Patsker
 

ambient / soundtrack

Perhaps some artists don't like to read this, but over the years I found some of my favorite albums in the sales-bin at record shops. Quite often, those albums are slightly different than most releases, a bit off-beat and experimental. That is also where I discovered Polish composer Jacaszek. His 2012 album 'Glimmer' was on sale, along with several other ambient and downtempo electronic releases. I spent quite some money that day and I went home with a backpack filled with CDs. From that batch, 'Glimmer' has become one of my favorites and  since then several other Jacaszek releases have been added to my collection. Now, 'Music For Film' will join them.

So, Michal Jacaszek is no stranger in this household. His approach here, a mix of gloomy electronics, ambient, classical music and often glitchy soundscapes feels otherworldly yet soothing. On 'Music For Film', a collection of soundtrack compositions, that trademark is still present, although sometimes it does feel like Jacaszek had a slightly different audience in mind while working on these pieces of music: the movie critics. Most tracks on 'Music For Film' are listener friendly, pushing the strangeness of some earlier releases somewhat to the back.

​Which does not mean that this is a sweet, easy listening album. Opener '49' explores the piano in a melancholic and nostalgic way, aided by mild strings. 'The Iron Bridge', second in line, is one of the weirder tunes. Although it contains a certain rhythm it might be best to categorize these sounds as "musique concrete". 'November Early' feels like a piece of classical music written for dark jazz fans. That being said, I'm one of those dark jazz fans and I absolutely adore this track. 'Twelve Years' is a slow and gloomy piece of work, driving on a sluggish beat and lingering strings.

'Dance' combines mild noise with a chamber orchestra, so it seems, and 'Christ Blood Theme' takes us to dark monasteries. 'Liina' excels in minimalism while, another one of my favorites here, 'Encounter Me in The Orchard' visits mystical lands and biospheres. For the last two tracks, I'll have to repeat the words dark jazz and classical music. Yet, don't worry, they're equally enchanting and interesting as the rest if this album.

So, this is 'Music For Film', not only an excellent album but also a great argument when stating that Michal Jacaszek can easily compete with the Zimmers and Elfmans of this world. He can, believe me. 'Music For Film' contains pieces from Rainer Sarnet’s 2017 black-and-white fantasy drama November and the 2019 documentary He Dreams of Giants, among others. If you're a fan of either ambient, dark jazz, gloomy electronics or classical music, you need to check this out.


​Serge

electronic / ambient / Berlin School

Belgian NeuMusik

The brand new label Littl' Antenna Records is the result of the live sessions of Littl' Antenna that take place in an old post office (PostX)in Merelbeke near Ghent Belgium. The Belgian electronic music world has a brand  new music label, on which Hyperkube's PostX try-out set was released both digitally and on CD under the title Remnants.

Hyperkube is the project of bedroom artist Tom Coppens who mainly focuses on producing electronic sounds treated in the Berlin School style. Remnants shows a collection of cosmic sound structures fed by sequencers and pulsating synths. The atmosphere on this live recording is affectionate, cheerful and has dreamy structures. However, we cannot speak of real floaty ambient here because of the emphatic penetration of the used sequencers.

The organizer of the PostX sessions (Alain Kinet) saw Tom Coppens at work during an atmospheric performance in the church of Herent and asked to perform this set again in the old post office. The unknown Tom Coppens apparently left a strong impression with his slightly dramatically boosted electronic tones. Hyperkube took the inspiration of greats such as Vangelis, Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. With this legacy a brave, rippling mix of electronic music was molded.

The distribution of the Littl' Antenna Records releases (there will be more) is done under the wings of the Wool-E Discs label.

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Patsker

grunge / stoner rock

Iceland’s scene is very likely one of the strongest worldwide as we are talking about a country with roughly 360,000 inhabitants and yet we all know so many bands from Iceland pushing the brim for modern music further and further. Keelrider is another one of those, although they most likely will not see as much attention as Sigur Ros, Björk or the whole Icelandic black metal scene because they are Stoner Grungers with a twist. In 2018 they published their debut album “North” and last year they published two singles from their upcoming album “Second Wind”. While “Too Far Gone” is in parts a very nice melange of Alice in Chains-vocals and Soundgarden-stoner riffs, “Sun” is much more interesting because the band some a little more variety when it comes to time signatures and giving the guitar lines more space to breathe. If you are into stoner rock and grunge, this band is something right for you! 

post metal

Post-Metal from Italy. Most foreigners automatically associate it with Postvorta but some, a little deeper in and a little longer might remember the name Calendula, the sextet from Parma, which released an EP (2011) and a full-length (2012) a while ago. After some changes concerning line-up and musical direction, they released a 25-minute-song in November which definitely doesn’t fit to the title “De Brevitate Vitae” - it’s not brevis (brief) at all. It is quite a monster with a lot of dynamic changes and oscillates between dynamic driving drums and some really clever, counteracting guitar-work following the long intro, which sometimes hints at a bit of Tool. The vocals are pretty good, they also use some samples to give it a more differentiated sonic outline. Something that can be criticized is the sound as the partially trashy Lo-Fi sound doesn’t really fit a record as ambitious as this one, although on the other side it fits to the proclaimed role models  – 90s post-rock bands such as Slint (noticeable in the very effective guitar motif after the first real break). If the guys follow this path, we might have two Italian associations with the term Post-Metal.

electronic 

Svart Records is one of the finest labels when it comes to hard, harsh music, most people know about that. Most people do not know that they also have an electronic sub-label – Svartronix which again is very open-minded. A few weeks ago they released the debut song by A Heart Beats “Dazes the Mind” which is pop music that fits perfectly in any 80s mix of songs by some tropical house producer. This songs purvey a kind of Caribbean calypso feeling but their sex-appeal derives to a large extent from the intriguing vocals of Paile who once was a member of Beastmilk. His delivery is very nice and especially the chorus is so funky that one automatically feels his feet moving, but the line also has some depth “It dazes the mind / and numbs the tongue”. The beats produced by Tuuki are layered with some space basslines in the sense of some more synth-driven Daft Punk and the beat itself is shuffling a bit, so that the sunny, opening sounds give the song a holiday feeling without the stupidity. A promising debut song, let’s hope A Heart Beats and Svartronix has some more servings.

doom / death metal

Russian death doom act Intaglio released a demo version of a new track at the end of last year and in some way, the beauty lies in the rhythm. Many voices will now scream that the rhythm is nothing particular new to the genre, as the slow, dragging rhythm of the song is really quite normal, but the way that the strings connect to it, support it in certain passages, yeah, even form it from time to time, that is really breathtaking – the Gothic attitude it brings to the song turns it into a remarkable one. The lyrics, speaking about the overwhelming character of a memory of death which overshadows everything else, are delivered in regular death metal style. Another standout feature is the use of the use of an upright bass that is tuned so well, that you can hear each tap and each ring.
In some way, three pretty singular metal genres are amalgamated into one pretty dense net of emotions that will leave no open ear without imprinting a memory of itself on the listener. If this is a first sign of a new album then one might keep Intaglio in mind.

punk

Everything about this 7” screams “Old school! Old school!”, the cover (seemingly a reverse from the classic Minor Threat discography cover that also was adopted by Rancid several years ago), the cover b-side, the black-white style, the sound, everything! But first things first: The revived band released a good album in 2018 and last December followed with this 7” out on Heartworm Press. The title track is a new shotgun blast somewhere between Zeke, MC5, The Clash, Turbonegro and Black Flag (although one must say, that only the vocals sometimes hint at Rollins) – definitely a good track. The b-side is a well-made cover of “Left for Dead” by The Lemonheads another one of these late 80s punk bands that turned more and more to indie-rock. The cover is good and shows a different side to American Nightmare. However, there is one thing that is lacking in this release and that is the teenage angst that made AN famous. The despair, the sadness, the melancholy – not there. On the other hand, that might drive the listener to despair and achieves the same effect.

avant garde / folk

Dog Tunnel Records

There are genres that seemingly are so heavily steeped in tradition and customs that it is hard to imagine to hear a new sound in them. Take Irish Folk for example; most of us at first might associate it with pub nights somewhere between the Dubliners and Christy Moore (at best) or Michael Flatley and Enya (at worst). But to combine the traditional folk instruments bodhran, flute, violin, and guitar with a wall of sound, lots of spoken word (not cheerfully and rhythmically, but rather intimidating and fierceful) is something rarely heard before. Tuatha is a fierce project that will leave some of us open-mouthed. Formed in early 2019 and already a rising star on the scene, the septet uses old Irish tales from the Middle Ages and Gaelic Dindsenchas (short poems describing certain places) to deepen their already impressive style. In parts, their unrelentless approach reminds one of the approach Archive and SubRosa took in totally different musical landscapes. This here is unique, bewitching and typical Irish yet also totally un-Irish. Folks, give Tuatha a listen!

sludge / doom

A quartet from Phoenix, Arizona with a very grainy, heavy sound, Mosara released their debut demo last November. It shall be a prelude to a record which is in the making and should see the light of day before the end of the year; of course the demo should also draw interest from labels and I think it might: The musical soundscape is strongly influenced by a lot of proto-metal like Sabbath, Blue Cheer, but also by classic doom bands like Electric Wizard or Cough – that means, you get what you expect, low-tuned, richly-distorted, grainy, a bit lofi-ish doom sounds with a tinge of sludge influences (most audible on the second track “Clay and Iron”). Sometimes the howls and growls could be a bit fiercer and less despaired because, sometimes, Tony Gallegos (ex-Twingiant) is a bit too clear. Nevertheless the sound is great, as if someone mated Fu Manchu with Sabbath and their offspring was left in the desert with a guitar as the only means of communication. The riffs are dragging, the bass is dominant, the drums are supportive – all good in the Arizona desert. 

death metal / black metal / doom / noise / grindcore

Noise bastard? Yeah. Death metal? Sometimes. Grindcore? For sure. Doomy Gloom? You bet. All of that and more is “Tellurian Insurgency” by Ploughshare. With their third release in as many years (after 2017’s “Literature of Piss” and 2018’s acclaimed “In Offal, Salvation”) the quartet from Australia’s capital Canberra once again proves that the bar is always too low for them. Excellent musicians with a highly complex understanding of how music works they show that extreme metal must also rely on atmosphere that sometimes exists between the chords and blastbeasts. A great deal of the attraction of this band is the vocals, which never sound cheesy but quite on point. This EP also features a remix of their standout song, the title track of “In Offal, Salvation”, which shows that it is even possible to give this dark nightmare of a song an even more desperate twist. One thing that becomes clear throughout the record is how important good drumming is for such a kind of music as it must set the tone for everyone. If the guys can keep up their productivity we should await a new heir to the extreme metal throne in 2020.

industrial

Describing this Oakland, CA, quartet is not that easy and not that difficult at the same time. Their sound relies heavily on synths, samples but also on guitar, bass and drums. They cross constantly between electronic noise (aka industrial) and post-punk’ish avantgarde sounds. Initiated in 2013 and having independently released already a bunch of records, Lament Cityscape set out to publish three EPs in 2020, each following some red thread and yet also standing out on its own. Something that they share with some of the pioneers of this kind of sonic assault (Godflesh, Killing Joke, Author & Punisher) are the harsh sounds that sometimes remind one of buoys warning the oncoming ships of the nearby rocks and sandbanks which here are symbolized by the rough drum attacks. In parts, this is a good record for those who like Godflesh’s Streetcleaner a bit less polished and a bit more straightforward. Partially, one is left behind by a lack of surprise, but fans of industrial noises and harsh synth-driven drums will really like this.

black metal

At first, the band’s name might sound like a nice pun on 80s karate flic “Bloodsport” (with the amazing multiple Academy Award winning actor Jean-Claude van Shakespeare) but when listening to this new face on renown Swedish Meta label Blood Harvest it becomes clear that the idea of a fungi which sits parasitically on its host and feeds of it before finally killing it works perfectly within the black metal community. It also works nicely because the record to it is really good and leaves one’s ears with an immediate wish to press replay because of its clever changes in mood, dynamics and tempi. The record (especially the second track “Cede to the Saprophyte”) is like a nice blend of groove metal and black metal with the emphasis, of course, on the latter. Thematically, the record presents the idea of the fungal mass on this planet slowly but certainly taking over and destroying all other organisms, a new take on the apocalyptic visions presented by bands like Botanist or Arx Atrata. For a band that only came together in 2018, this is really somewhat impressive. 


​Thorsten

electronic / avantgarde

There are a few artists out there whose productivity and oeuvre are really hard to grasp in its utter madness. Zappa released more than 60 records, there are probably more than 200 Pearl Jam live-archive records released by the band itself, Bach composed way too many works for anybody to fully understand it, and then there are the noise artists of the last 30 to 40 years. And then there is KK Null. 

An artist who has worked on several important records and projects, Zeni Geva probably being his most well-known band, KK Null by now has worked on more 150 releases – either his solo work or the work with his band projects. For 2019 alone, discogs lists 16 albums and several smaller works! Talk about a restless person; nevertheless, if you look at his personal FB page you will see a man who is at peace with himself and who seeks peace. However, if you listen to his work, you will get a totally different feeling – one of unrest, of distress, of disharmonic chaos.

Interestingly, he performs the music for himself rather than for anybody else. You can’t cope with it? Your problem. Need any kind of information what he sounds like? Take Aphex Twin’s noisy snippets that jump in from the side and then flirr upwards into nothingness, only to come back down even noisier; take Atari Teenage Riots industrial drums but speed them up until they are merely one line on the oscilloscope; take the guitar riffs used by bands like Boris but take out the doom and turn it into gut-wrenching miniscule attacks on each of your nerves. Take all of this and take your time. 

Because, KK Null’s work needs time. On short listen to “Great Attractor” exemplifies all of this: You cannot grasp the “beauty” of it if you do not sit down and let the sounds wash over you. There is so much to absorb in this sound-verse that either you immerse yourself subconsciously into it until your heart stops trying to follow any form of drum pattern and you just feel it. Or you try to sit down and analyze everything that is happening – albeit, the latter is definitely the road to madness. The beats on the two tracks (one 22 minutes, the other 29 minutes!!!) do not remain steady they overlap each over; the noise elements do not connect to a larger unity, they separate themselves because they are loners. Only our mind and soul can bring all of this together. A hell of a work, a hell of a reward. 


Thorsten