Great K-X-P live review in TheLineOfBestFit
January 25, 2011Comments Off
K-X-P – The Lexington, London 19/01/11
by Matthias Scherer on 24. Jan, 2011 in Live Reviews
“Why would people want to listen to Salem”, asked professional whiner and self-appointed “last rock critic standing” Christopher Weingarten last year, “when there are hundreds of bands doing the same thing but better?” (we’re paraphrasing slightly – he used more swearwords).
The Finnish doom-dance trio K-X-P were one of the bands included on Weingarten’s Anti-Witch House mixtape, and tonight they do everything in their power to show why everybody with an interest in gargling, tribal electronica should look to them for guidance. They look like you’d imagine veteran Scandinavian musicians to look like – slightly gaunt and a tad withdrawn (the drummer is wearing a dark cape with a hood throughout the gig). Bassist Tuomo Puranan is the scariest-looking out of all three. He resembles a cross between noughties-era Iggy Pop and the female lead in a granny porn flick, and whenever he looks directly at us we gratefully shuffle in behind the tall guy to our left. Frontman (and producer/songwriter) Timo Kaukolampi, wearing a sleeveless black metal T-Shirt, cuts a more huggable figure: his dancing is endearingly uncoordinated, and his fist-pumps whenever the bass kicks in betray an enthusiasm that slowly but surely carries over to the crowd.
K-X-P’s sound mixes elements of German Krautrock – the merciless, trance-inducing motorik beats – with Euro disco beats and keys, and the result is a bulldozing brand of industrial dance music that develops a life of its own as it pounds on beyond the 6-minute-mark without ever becoming boring. ‘Elephant Man’ starts off almost jazzy, its bassline bouncing around the upstairs room like a gum ball, but before long there are cascades of synth noise doing battle with ritualistic drums, and you find yourself nervously sipping half your beer in 5 seconds because it all just gets TOO MUCH. Too much awesome, that is.
‘Mehu Moments’ is a long, hard comedown of a song, spitting smoke and uncomfortable near-silence, and shows that, for all of their danceability and exuberance, K-X-P have an undying allegiance with the dark.
The driving, punk rock infused ‘Pockets’ is another highlight in a set that, at about 45 minutes, is free of baggage but full of bullish energy. Whoever still listens to Salem after seeing this gig – we pity you.
Bjørn Torske: 8/10 in Future Music Magazine
January 24, 2011Comments Off
The one thing you’re guaranteed with an album of Norwegian House is a skewed generic interpretation, and as if to justify that statement, Bjorn Torske has made a record about his dinner; Kokning referring to the process of putting the potatoes on while you pop out to sea to catch the main course.
Since Torske’s previous album (Feill Knapp), the producer has remixed for Lindstrom, Sunburned Hand of Man, and previously collaborated with follow countrymen Röyksopp, remixing their 2001 hit single ‘Eple’.
There’s shades of Husky Rescue on the tasteful title track, with Torske implementing curling guitar refrains against melancholy backing and only the subtlest percussion. Kokning induces a highly organic sound for the first half of the album; the electronic component mostly residing in the music’s soft beats and fluctuating melody tones, intertwined with the gentle, mellow flow of plucked guitar strings.
On side two, Kokning elevates itself to toxic disco, encompassing a healthy portion of dub, starting with the rousing tribal drums of the spacey Bergensere and continuing with the analogue-driven punch of Slitte Sko. Torske blends these generic elements well to produce a playful patchwork of styles that is incomparable to anything outside of the Arctic Circle, and satisfyingly adventurous to boot.
8/10
Danny Turner
New girly t-shirts available
January 23, 2011Comments Off
We have new Smalltown Supersound girly logo t-shirts available at our mailorder now. Designed by Kim Hiorthoy and with a special Smalltown tag in the neck. This girly versions are printed on American Apparel´s Form-fitting Sheer Jersey. You can order them here. Here you will also get info about sizes and colours et al.
A few Soft Machine LPs back at our mailorder
January 20, 2011Comments Off
We have a few Soft Machine LPs back in our mailorder. If you want one of these be quick. They are very sold out, but a few copies showed up. You can order from our mailorder here.
New Smalltown Supersound t-shirts ready
January 20, 2011Comments Off
Finally we have a new batch of Smalltown Supersound logo t-shirts ready! We have got many mails from people who wanted these and now we have new ones ready, they are printed on American Apparel, and they are designed by Kim Hiorthoy and they even have a cool Smalltown Supersound tag in the neck. You can buy them at our mailorder, the Robot store, here. Here you can also check out colours and sizes etc.
Bjørn Torske Fact review
January 18, 2011Comments Off
Check out this nice Bjørn Torske review in Fact Magazine here.
Smalltown artists Grammy nominated
January 17, 2011Comments Off
Smalltown Supersound has 3 artists nominated for the Norwegian Grammy Award (in Norwegian called Spellemannsprisen). The nominees are:
Bjørn Torske “Kokning” (best electronica album)
Lindstrøm & Christabelle “Real Life Is No Cool” (best electronica album)
Serena Maneesh “No 2: Abyss in B Minor” (best rock album).
Note: Serena Maneesh album is only released by Smalltown Supersound in Norway. It is released in the rest of the world by 4AD.
We congratulate the nominated!
ARP news + another mix
January 11, 2011Comments Off
Check out this article about ARP with news about the new album . Also, check out another one of those great ARP mixes here.
Lindstrøm remixes Glasser
January 11, 2011Comments Off
Lindstrøm has just done a great remix for Glasser, you can hear it on Pitchfork here.
The Thing: Australia & New Zealand tour
January 11, 2011Comments Off
The Thing Australia/New Zealand tour
18.01.2011 Aukland TBA New Zealand
20.01.2011 – 21.01.2011 Wellington Vitamin S New Zealand
23.01.2011 Hobart Mofo Foma Festival Australia
25.01.2011 Perth Tura New Music Australia
27.01.2011 Brisbane Room 40 Australia
28.01.2011 Sydney Now Now Festival Australia
28.01.2011 Canberra SoundOut Festival Australia
30.01.2011 Melbourne Northcote Social Club Australia
31.01.2011 – 01.02.2011 Melbourne recording at head gap studios Australia
02.02.2011 Bendigo The Old Fire Station Australia
