PRICE:
$11.00
IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
IV
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
EMEGO 089CD EMEGO 089CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
1/20/2009

This is the long-awaited fourth album by KTL -- the ongoing duo of Stephen O'Malley (SunnO))), Khanate, etc.) and Peter Rehberg (Pita, etc.). 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 KTL (Editions Mego, 2006), 2 (Editions Mego, 2007) and KTL3 (Or, 2007) were blurred washes of fog and noise polished by ambient shine, IV is a more direct and demanding beast, referencing such diverse projects as: volume-era Swans, Red 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 and controls. IV is a stunning new direction and a 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 and synth and organ blasts from Rehberg. Atsuo, from Japanese top-rockers Boris, glues it together with his arrhythmic and punishing drumming. "Wicked Way" is a breezy, upbeat number, which, if the band were that way inclined, would be the album's single. "Benbbet," on the other hand, is a whole different ball game: a distant guitar loop is joined by slamming, no step beats, 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. IV was produced by Jim O'Rourke. Stephen O'Malley (guitar); Peter Rehberg (computer & synthesizer); Atsuo (drums on track 2 and gong on track 6).