Nice Q&A with the lads from Kontakte. Click through the link below for the the full article.
Attempting genuine post-rock has always been a treacherous pursuit – one just as likely to result in nonsensical folly, as paradigm challenging genius. Well, luckily for us, this time the coin has landed shiny side up. London’s very own Kontakte (Ian Griffiths, Gary McDermott, Stuart Low, and Ben Worth) appear to be the real deal.
Put on their debut album, “Soundtracks To Lost Road Movies”, and you are instantly beamed onto the autobahn – electronica ringing in your ears, whilst insurgent guitar lines roar past in a streaming blur. In fact, we were so convinced by the whole experience that we felt the need to pull over, pick up the car-phone and ask some questions.
Slowcoustic share thoughts on the new Gareth Dickson album.
There has been fewer perfect moments than a tranquil back yard on a Sunday Morning…the yard half immersed in sunlight and the other half (where you find yourself on the precipice of) still in the shade. The shaded side still with the dew beneath your feet from the cool, yet crisp grass…slowly warming up due to the ever approaching sunlight. For those moments in the dewy shade…with that first cup of coffee and Gareth’s delicate vocals drifting over what can only be described as Slowcoustic.
In addition to its electronic and shoegaze pop dimensions, there’s also a synth-heavy “robot music” quality to Thompson’s music but such a label can err in underacknowledging the personality and warmth that humanizes the Oppressed By The Line sound.
Textura review Collected Recordings by Gareth Dickson.
Throughout the fifty-minute recording, the finger-picking of his glistening steel-stringed acoustic guitar merges wonderfully with his fragile vocalizing, and the peaceful ambiance created by the slow-motion tracks is seductive too; if anything, the oasis of calm established by Collected Recordings is so soothing one would prefer to never leave.
The Silent Ballet post their thoughts on the newest Oppressed by the Line record, “Kiku”.
A fictional account of an album’s creation:
The artist sits silently among stacks of novella and memorabilia in a silent room. Very little light is present in the room save that given off by a few weak bulbs placed in corners. His movements are slow and careful as he reaches for a knob half hidden underneath a sheaf of papers. Suddenly the room seems to come alive in spite of itself: life despite dust. A chorus of dulcimers dance atop liquid xylophone strikes. The artist manipulates another creaky knob and the addictive introduction begins filling with other sounds like an opened dam. Moved by his own creation of dub drums and Utopian organs, he begins repeating a mantra into an echo chamber repeatedly, “Do you know how far I’ve come to be with you? Clarity escapes me.” The layering of elements is so pleasant it is repeated several times; the artist can’t help being pleased with its beauty.
We just added a bunch of tour dates to the newly created Events page. Dates from Gareth Dickson, Kontakte, Televise and Cheer. Go have a look and plan your summer accordingly.
Kiku gets props from a German indie-pop blog, Coast is Clear. The translation below is terrible, and doesn’t really make much sense. Also, while I’m good friends with Ben and Rob from Epic 45, they didn’t actually have anything to do with the production of this record. If that’s even what it’s saying….? A proper translation would be welcome, any volunteers?:
[begin awful auto-translation]
Jon Thompson from Texas has a very obvious penchant for light, floating arrangements, sound landscapes, both ambient as well as comforting Shoegazefreunden showers on the back should be chasing. The project has its Oppressed by the Line with skin and hair prescribed. On AC30 appeared a while ago his debut EP “The cause of the color” and the “soft focus” followed, from the 2nd June, the new album “Kiku” on the shelves (produced by people from the Epic45 environment) and waits for listeners who like to leave this Dreampopgefilde away. And who would not? [end awful auto-translation]
Is this music ponders the influence of travel on music while reviewing the newest Oppressed by the Line disc:
This is an interesting one. Before I started reviewing music, I didn’t realise the full extent of travelling on music. I’ve since reviewed some CDs based on the premise of journeying, this time through Japan. I immediately think of ‘Lost In Translation’ (ergot, Scarlett Johansson, so thanks!), of Tokyo landscapes, train journeys past rice fields and other stuff and I think I’m in the right territory.
This review will apear in the Greek language publication Stereoworld.gr, but you can read the English language version @ Albatross_2:
As I read in the press release Thompson inspired Kiku by lovely sunsets, mountainous landscapes and city lights while on holiday in Japan. His experience in the Land of the Rising Sun is depicted in the opener Mountain Mist where a subtle Taiko drum beat and colorful xylophone ringings give way to warm organic melodies and glitchy sound effects. Sunset from the 16th Floor is a two minute instrumental piece of blissed-out ambience that nicely unrolls the carpet for the pop gem that is Paper Cranes. Displaying a nostalgic summery feeling Paper Cranes shines and sparkles with its joyful harmonies and a catchy chorus before ending up into a haze of swirling guitars. Imagine Field Mice meeting My Bloody Valentine, this track is dangerously infectious. Elsewhere Thompson’s echoed vocals add a spacey feel to the Shoegaze-laden synths of One Thousands Red Stars while the up tempo beats and textured electronic noises of Shinkansen find him venturing into dance territory.
DriftingFalling is a small label specialising in atmospheric, electronic and organic sounds. This might range from shoegaze, post-rock, folk, electronica, ambient, drone, glitch or any combination thereof.
