Description
#ahossan #kmru #vinyl #vinylrecords
Kenyan artist KMRU and French sound designer Aho Ssan have joined forces to create their first full-length album together, defying expectations with a trio of explosive soundscapes that draw inspiration from the influential anime film “Akira.” While their collaboration may come as a surprise to fans of ambient music, the result is far from serene. Instead, they deliver apocalyptic compositions that blend the powerful cinematic thrusts of Tim Hecker or Ben Frost with the post-industrial maximalism of Emptyset.
Joseph Kamaru (KMRU) and Niamké Désiré (Aho Ssan) initially started working together a few years ago, but their partnership gained momentum when they were given the opportunity to create a project for the Berlin Atonal festival. As their collaboration progressed, their ambition grew, culminating in a cohesive theme for their work. “Limen” is driven by their perception of a world in flux, and rather than retreating into tranquil ambient territory, they choose to experiment with sonic intensity, physicality, and emotion.
For listeners familiar with Aho Ssan’s previous work, particularly the Baudrillardian-themed “Simulacrum” from 2020, the bold direction of “Limen” may not come as a surprise. However, for those who know KMRU primarily for his subtle drones showcased in breakout releases like “Peel” and “Jar,” this album may be a departure from their expectations.
“Limen” pushes boundaries and challenges conventional notions of ambient music, offering a captivating sonic experience that reflects the duo’s exploration of a changing planet. With its explosive soundscapes and thematic depth, the album invites listeners to embrace sonic intensity and embark on an emotional journey. Prepare to be transported to a realm where powerful cinematic forces collide with industrial aesthetics, leaving a lasting impact on all who dare to listen.
Lengthy opener ‘Resurgence’ uses its near 12-minute duration to lay out a template for the album’s brickwall textures and hyperemotional cinematics. Désiré’s requisite Max/MSP glitches are fashioned into falling masonry in an all-too-near dystopia, while feedback-synths wail over fathoms-deep analog bass drones. As the track hits a mid-point it’s pushed so far into the red almost every sound is obliterated by thick, hypercompressed sub-bass before the track completely changes pace, introducing a cybernetic near-rhythm and driving cinematic pulse. It’s a blink-and–miss-it development that hints at the duo’s club bonafides – one more element and it would have nudged into SVBKVLT’s post-apocalyptic territory.
‘Ruined Abstraction I and II’ are more restrained, despite clocking in at a hefty 21-minutes in length. Beginning with android fuzz and sheet-iron electronix it morphs into sublime harmonic drone, hinting at the cracks of light beneath the chaos. Soon, the duo meet orchestral elements with fuzzy low-end womps that sound as if they’ve been borrowed from UK drill, and sparse rhythms punctuate an unsettling electromagnetic atmosphere.
It’s the album’s shortest track that’s impresses most though: concise and moving, ‘Rebirth’ plays to both artists’ strength, balancing harmonic complexity with volume and sheer low-end pressure. Just as you think everything’s about to collapse, Kamaru and Désiré pull it back with impressive sleight of hand.
