Contrasts – Kiasmos and DUST

Afraid it’s to be another short one today, and probably for the foreseeable future.

Up top is a KEXP recording of Kiasmos, who were recommended by dhex and Chris, and quickly shot to the top of my list for when I need soothing. It’s limpid, beautiful, organic-sounding minimal techno from Iceland; if it wasn’t so well-done, it’d almost be cheesy, but there’s enough restraint here to avoid that.

But for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and when I want to move like hell rather than sink into a warm bath, DUST’s Agony Planet is what I’ve reached for, this past week.

This is dark, dirty, malevolent techno, on the newish label 2MR – Two Mike Records, so named for its founders Mike Simonetti (formerly of Italians Do It Better) and Mike Sniper (founder of Captured Tracks). Techno, house, acid, EBM, and occasional industrial screams and disquieting words (courtesy of Korean vocalist Greem Jellyfish) come together in a satisfyingly-lacerating body-moving collision.

(Plus there’s some sort of alien abduction theme on the album, to go nicely with the X-Files revival).

But it’s not ALL punishing; there are also melancholy ambient and electro interludes (this track isn’t actually on the album, but gives an idea of range):

You can stream the whole DUST album here; both it and Kiasmos are highly-recommended. Just need to decide whether you feel like reaching for chamomile tea, or BDSM gear.

What are you all listening to?

[amazon template=image center&asin=B00LMNG4UO]
[amazon template=image center&asin=B017Z092GU]

******************************

Post Header Image Credits

CC BY-SA 3.0
File:NadelAufPlatteMoehre1992.JPG
Uploaded by Moehre1992
Created: 24 November 2010