KTL – V

KTL is not the kind of music you would normally listen to on tiny white iPhone headphones for your daily commute. You would definitively miss too many extreme frequencies especially in the bass region. Consisting of Stephen O’Malley of Sunn 0))) and Editions Mego’s Peter Rehberg, you can be sure that you will get nothing but bleak drones and minimalistic noise.

So it was quite a surprise to see that their most recent album “V” is a lot lighter than expected. While the former releases all made heavy use of distortion, they have stripped away most of the grit for this new album. What is now left are monochromatic, glacial synthesizer textures not unlike a heavier Eliane Radigue or Eleh. The movements and pace are slow; nevertheless the tracks are constantly changing and modulating under the surface, running you over like a moraine; slowly but steadily. Only the last track “Last Spring: A Prequel” differs from the other four pieces. This particular recording sounds a lot more like one of those Stephen O’Malley, Peter Rehberg Kindertotenlieder collaborations with Gisele Vienne, where KTL started in the first place… A Faustian dialogue in french with old school ring mod effects over a Forbidden Planet like texture. Unfortunately my French is a little rusty making it hard to follow, but the effect is nevertheless a borderline scary and haunting theatrical piece making you stare into an abyss you don’t fully comprehend (at least I don’t).

Anyways, for late night rituals, nihilistic meditations and immersion into a droning void, KTL’s V is definitely going to hit the spot. It baffles me how hard it hits, although it is less aggressive on the surface. This should be listened to as loud as  possible.

- Nils Quak for Fluid Radio

www.editionsmego.com