And how things have evolved. Long awaited new album by the
ongoing duo
of Stephen O’Malley and Peter Rehberg. KTL’s first full length release
that is not commissioned work for theatre or film, showcases their
approach to composition and structure as a highly active live band.
Whereas the ‘Kindertotenlieder’ trilogy of 1, 2 and 3 were blurred
washes of fog and noise polished in by ambient shine, IV is a more
direct and demanding beast, referencing such diverse projects as;
volume era Swans, Mecca period Cabaret Voltaire, phase one Wire,
Fushitsusha and This Heat.....
Developed and composed over the spring and summer of 2008, KTL brought
the material to Tokyo the following September and worked with Jim
O’Rourke at the desk & controls, IV is a stunning new direction and
great addition to both artists' already impressive canon.
The opening and shortest track, ‘Paraug’ is a dark shadow of previous
KTL sounds, with its blowtorch riffs and sub bass rumbles.
This leads the way for the album's monster ‘Paratrooper’. Over 21
minutes of driving bass pulse interwoven with razor sharp guitar from
O’Malley & synth and organ blasts from Rehberg. Atsuo, from Japanese
top-rockers Boris, glues it together with his arhythmic and punishing
drumming.
‘Wicked Way’ is a breezy upbeat number, which if we were that way
inclined would be the album's single. ‘Benbbet’ on the other hand is
whole different ball game: a distant guitar loop is joined by slamming
No Step beats and making way for a guitar riff to straddle all valleys
and computer bass rattles. Possibly KTL’s most detailed recording.
‘Eternal Winter’ is an exercise in black frozen resonant harmonics,
whereas ‘Natural Trouble’ is a slowly evolving twister of a track
which is both spontaneous and focused.