Kult Country
Trembling Moon/Atlas Haze
June 30 2014 (No Self Records)
9.5/10
Words: Dave Beech
When Kult Country released their debut single 'Slowburn' a little over a year ago, Manchester's music scene shook. It shook not only with the weighty bass and motorik force of the song's shoegazey sensibility, but with the cultural repercussions felt in the wake of the musical explosion that had just happened within the city as well. Brought about almost single-handedly by SWAYS Records, and spearheaded by the likes of MONEY, the movement brought about a definite change within some of the city's musicians, feeling like a breath of fresh air in a city renowned for it's laddish tendencies.
Fast-forward 12 months, and the after-effects of that explosion are still being felt, and though it's only the band's second single (and first on No Self Records) 'Trembling Moon' sees them cementing themselves once again as one of the freshest and most exciting acts to emerge from Manchester in recent years.
Leaving behind the rhythmic tension of 'Slowburn', 'Trembling Moon' feels like a cathartic release of built up frustrations; a definite sense of longing perpetuated by singer Yousif Al-Karaghouli's wistful vocals. There's a feeling of nostalgia explored too, and not just within the lyricism. The shimmering shoegaze guitars bringing to mind early My Bloody Valentine; the reverbed vocals and funky bass, the best bands of early '90s 'Madchester'. Much more melodic than its predecessor, with somewhat more refined production work thanks to Hookworms' MJ, it's the sound of a band flexing their wings sonically, readying themselves for the inevitable release of their debut.
Where 'Trembling Moon' has a very definite structure about it, B-side 'Atlas Haze' feels far looser: its sections bleeding into one another and eventually becoming an understated psychedelic lament that conjures images of dusty desert vistas and questionable decisions. Ultimately it's a more accessible track than it's flipside; it's transience allowing for a constant feeling of motion that keeps things fresh, where a lesser band might let them stagnate.
A year between releases is a long time to wait for a band who have only been together for 18 months. In that time, however, Kult Country have become known for their incendiary live performances, building a reputation that definitely precedes them and quickly becoming a name to be reckoned with on the live circuit. If their forthcoming album captures even half of the energy and intricacies of both this release, and 'Slowburn' before it, then it will, without a doubt, be one of the best albums released this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment