KABOOM KARAVAN: Barra Barra / KRENG: Grimoire (Miasmah Recordings)

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Posted on May 25th 2011 01:14 am

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Kaboom Karavan: Barra Barra Kreng: Grimoire

KABOOM KARAVAN
Barra Barra
MIA015
Miasmah Records 2011
10 Tracks. 44mins37secs

KRENG
Grimoire
MIA016
Miasmah Records 2011
11 Tracks. 53mins45secs

Barra Barra
Amazon UK: CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP | DLD Boomkat: CD | LP | DLD iTunes: DLD
Grimoire
Amazon UK: CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP | DLD Boomkat: DLD iTunes: DLD

This may just be a coincidence, but Miasmah are releasing almost simultaneously the albums of two Belgian collectives with activities reaching far beyond music to encompass other art forms, and each with a very unique and intriguing vision. While the two records are radically different in many ways, they feed from a shared aesthetic, and both show a similar taste for surrealist and enigmatic settings.

A collective activities ranging from theatre and film to dance and music, Kaboom Karavan are somewhat difficult to pin down. That they ended up on Miasmah is hardly a surprise though considering the dramatic nature of Barra Barra. Their debut on Miasmah, this album follows a first digital-only release, Short Walk With Olaf, published in 2007.

On Barra Barra, Kaboom Karavan distill generous portions of poetry and horror, weaving them tightly into the fabric of each track until they become almost indiscernible from one another. Their soundscapes, built from acoustic instruments, found sounds and electronics, are twisted little formations, often fairly minimal, yet extremely complex and intricate. Out of distorted instrumentation and broken sound collages occasionally escapes fragments of melody, but they are swallowed back into the flow of sonic debris which populate the backdrop of these tracks as quickly as they appeared, leaving virtually not trace of their existence behind. This intensity in the execution contributes greatly to the feeling of oppression which taints the whole record, and while KK occasionally temper this with delicate touches, these remain too isolated to make lasting marks on the overall work. As they are, they only appears as no more than small clearings in an otherwise extremely thick jungle of noise.

Through the distorted lens of their approach, KK create a universe half way between cataclysmic post industrial chaos and enchanted fantasy world. The journey they embark on is quite simply breathtaking and full of surprises. From the unsettling humming (or is it a growl?) of opening track Lentetooi and the pressing flow of violins on Nuit Nadar to the textural Parka or Thyres, the suspiciously playful Wälzer to the plain disturbing assemblage of the title track, KK conscientiously deflect the course of the record at every opportunity. Barra Barra is a maze of sounds, noises and atmospheres which never settles, and in which it is impossible not to get irremediably lost. One can only let the flow carry the mood and admire the foolish ambition of such an undertaking.

If KK’s focus is firmly set on creating stark atmospheric soundscapes, compatriots Kreng favour an approach very much based on the music itself and on developing cinematic compositions using a fairly vast orchestral lexicon. Authors of an impressive debut album with L’Autopsie Phénoménale De Dieu almost two years ago, Kreng went back into their laboratory and devised an equally as fascinating follow up.

Far from being straightforward and linear, the band’s vision is equally as distorted and grotesque than that of KK, the many components of their tracks appearing at times extruded and grossly deformed, or at others so far in the distance that they are barely noticeable. This happens under cover of respectability in many cases, with Kreng weaving strange noises, muffled caustic animal breath or fragments of conversations, possibly extracted from films or played for the sole purpose of tilting the mood toward discomfort, into theatrical orchestrations, at times inflated with operatic flourishes. The mood is suitable bleak and oppressive, with a constant emphasis on the dramatic, but Kreng temper this by retaining a strong cinematic element to their music, at times punctuated by percussions (Le Bateleur, La Poule Noire), at others crystalised into rich and evocative themes (Wrak) or haunting sound placements (Le Petit Grimoire, Girl In A Fishtank). Remains the totally surreal and dreamy aspect of the overall work, each track perfectly set into a much wider narrative. While nowhere near as intricate and intense as those of Kaboom Karavan, Kreng’s soundscapes remain extremely dense and pertinent, and appear to spill over the whole record. While there are undeniably distinct features on each of the tracks presented, some being more atmospheric than others for instance, the collective purposely blur the transitions between each section to create a superbly consistent soundtrack.

While different, these two albums stem from a same fascination for ambiences and flair for mise en scene. Both Kaboom Karavan and Kreng tread very refined and complex grounds, and it takes all the understanding of space and context for the collectives to retain control of their work. Ultimately though, it is impossible to find that one has the edge over the other so perfect is their respective execution.

Barra Barra: 4.8/5 / Grimoire: 4.8/5

Kaboom Karavan (MySpace) | Kreng | Kreng (MySpace) | Miasmah Recordings
Barra Barra

Amazon UK: CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP | DLD Boomkat: CD | LP | DLD iTunes: DLD
Grimoire
Amazon UK: CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP | DLD Boomkat: DLD iTunes: DLD

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