Kuro’s music evokes a dark imagery, those nights in which not even the moon appears to shed some light on the earth. It is no surprise to find out they take their name from the Japanese word for ‘black’. But however sombre Kuro’s mix of bass drones and violin shrieks might appear, it is not bleak as you can hear via ‘Incantation In C’ which we are streaming above.
In here there is slow breathing, bodies unwinding and soaring strings flying above, while a bass growl is hovering way down below. Two elements blending together to form this mysterious concoction. Kuro is Agathe Max, a classically-trained violinist turned sonic dream-sculpter and Gareth Turner, weaver of infernal bass lines for blackened psych bands Big Naturals and Anthroproph. Together, they have been playing for several years, refining their improvisatory approach and learning how to properly listen to each other.
The resulting recordings of their work together demonstrate their ability to compose music that is both richly textured and emotionally charged, even quite narrative. Kuro is out on November 11 via Rocket Recordings and can be pre-ordered here.
