Earlier this evening the Quietus nearly choked up on our tabbouleh after we saw a tweet from the Editions Mego label featuring the words "sold out" and the initials "KTL". A new album from Peter Rehberg and Stephen O’Malley’s soothingly caustic (yes really) project come and gone before our eyes? The last time that happened we nearly had to sell our tibia to the staff of an Oslo record shop for a second hand copy. Thankfully, closer inspection of the Editions Mego website revealed panic was unnecessary, and that it was the limited-edition bonus disc that was out of stock. That we can cope with.
KTL V is released via the label on May 8th, with whoever writes the website copy remarking "Well, that took longer than expected." The five-track double album features one track (‘Phill 2’ orchestrated by Jóhann Jóhannsson and is performed by City of Prague Philharmonic, conducted by Richard Hein.
Writing about the record, Editions Mego suggest that this is quite a departure from frozen Steppe soundscapes of KTL’s first four albums: "Whereas their previous album IV was recorded and made in a relative short period in a more traditional rock environment, V turns full circle, takes its time and tackles the complex working processes of the European avant garde.
"Rooting themselves in such legendary electronic music studios such as EMS in Stockholm and GRM in Paris, O’Malley and Rehberg have delivered a rich set of sound experiments far removed from harsh metal/noise blizzards of their early albums.
"They took a step further by inviting icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson to orchestrate ‘Phill 2’, resulting in a towering storm monumental classicism. Finally, ‘Last Spring: A Prequel’ turns the whole album on its head with abstract alien textures of the Gisèle Vienne installation of the same name, with text by Dennis Cooper spoken with devout intensity by long term Vienne collaborator Jonathan Capdevielle."
KTL’s V can be pre-ordered from the Editions Mego website here. The artwork can be seen below:
