TCN/Prattling Hag
KTL are such an inspiration to me and the influence of these albums and both Stephen and Peter's other works and projects on me is enormous and permanent. I love the instances on this album where you hear the duo talk to each other during the performance - I'm not sure its them, but I like to think its the duo discussing the music as its being made, making decisions off-the-cuff, at one point there's laughter which always makes me smile. Thank you both, and rest easy Peter.
A new timley studio album from the duo of Peter Rehberg and Stephen O’Malley. Recorded and mixed during an unexpected extended stay in Berlin when the borders of the world suddenly closed. The claustrophobic urgency of this scenario is seared into the colossal vibrations set into this vinyl release.
Unlike many of their releases this is a studio record made unto itself as opposed to the many soundtracks they have made for theatre works and the like. It also stands as one of their most fully realised releases to date.
Proceedings are launched with The Director. Sitting somewhere between contemporary classical and doom this is a sliding and menacing mass of sound, more Masque of the Red Death than The Decameron. Silver lining is an alarming swooping buzzing track, looming and lowering only to rise and descend again. A delicate play with the Shepard-Risset glissando manifesting a delirious swarm of sound. Lee’s garlic orbits into a short fragmented zone with bursts of harsh feedback and crashing fx, all manner of audio enters and is discarded with an underlying sense of despair and frustration. Proceedings continue on Side B with Tea With Kali where a calmer plateau is embedded with oscillating guitar and fluttering electronics. Beating sine waves envelop the listener in a meditative thought piece of sound. Frostless concludes this epic dispatch as a subtle and gentle foray into twitching electronics as a light buzzsaw drone swirls as around your mind.
The interplay of sources (guitar, electronic equipment (hardware, software, speakers) is so entwined it’s often difficult to discern who is doing what amongst the broad sound field. KTL VII is instrumental music as visual narrative resulting in an exquisitely crafted release full of sophisticated and sublime illusory effects.
credits
released July 3, 2020
Berlin, spring 2020
Written and produced by KTL, Stephen O’Malley & Peter Rehberg
Recorded & mixed at MOM Paraverse Studios, Berlin, March & May 2020
Engineer : Andi Toma (mix), 2nd Engineer : Constantin Carstens (recording)
Mastered at Zino Mikorey Mastering, Berlin, May 2020
Cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnitstelle, Berlin, June 2020
Cover art : Nina Hartman, Untitled Capsule, 2020 (Resin, paper, toner, pigment)
Photographed by Joe Levenworth
KTL photograph : KM
Thank you François & all at GRM, Regina, Tibo, Andi & Jan, Const, Kali, Laura, Margrét, Lucy, Petter, Petra, Gisèle & DACM, Gary, Dirk, Tomo, Isabelle, Thomas, Jasmine, Lavender, Crys, Oren, Hildur, Lukas, Sam, Kári, Bartholomé & Felicia at Shelter Press, Ed/dense.
Published by Ideologic Organ Music (SACEM) & Mute Song
KTL is the duo musical collaboration of Peter Rehberg and Stephen O'Malley, initially formed to score and perform in Gisèle
Vienne's theatre piece "Kindertotenlieder" in 2006. KTL is a living piece of music, where long, flexible and free evolution is important to the character of the sound, and allowing all potential possibility to remain open in the performances....more
Outstanding production by Steve Albini. This recording gives a vivid picture of the Sunn sound. Nice to listen after attending a show by the band. Hey, Sunn is the most radical guitar band in the world ! Runarlejou
“There is a quality I would use to describe something going on in the music of Kali Malone. In Living Torch, I feel what I would call “the isness of what is happening,” breaching denial, inciting acknowledgement & caring, in the midst of devastation, & holding it still.”
My full review essay at https://eliotcardinaux.wordpress.com/2024/06/05/kali-malone-living-torch/ eliotcardinaux
On this live album, the North Carolina experimental trio use improvisational interplay to fill a room with ecstatic tones, waiting for something to stick. Bandcamp Album of the Day Sep 11, 2024
I was just listening to this album and painting on Aseprite some logo for a project, and it really took a spin for the better. Thanks Malone, O'Malley & Railton :)
Esko Tarkka