Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Kamala — Limbo666
(Tonzonen TON136, 2022, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-06-07

Limbo666 Cover art

Kamala’s second full-length release on Tonzonen is a cautionary tale for not judging an album by its cover — or title, for that matter. Limbo666 is most definitely not any kind of metal, satanic or otherwise. The short description is that Kamala plays krautrock with jazzy touches. The long version is out of scope for a single review, so what follows could be called the medium version. The band features Hannes Groschner (bass), Henry Mitko (drums), Theo Rolfs (guitar), Eric Glatzel (guitar, synth), and Christian Kamper (vocals). The guitar tones are generally on the clean side, and the synths occasionally take on organ-like sounds, but usually provide long string-like tones. The rhythm section favors a stripped-down kind of playing, not quite to the classic motorik ideal, but avoiding complex interactions and parts that stray from the steady eighth notes. In fact, this could be seen as the heart of Kamala’s style: they hearken to the traditional krautrock sounds, but infuse them with their own sensibilities. Kamper’s pleasant vocals rest upon a smooth bed of driving four-four drum patterns, bass parts that are slightly funky (but not so funky they mess with the rhythm), guitar parts that build up from minimal motifs, and washes of keyboard chords. If you’re looking for tricky interplay or virtuosic solos, you’ll be disappointed, but if you’re looking for a trip that glides cheerfully into the unknown, Kamala has got you covered.

Filed under: New releases, 2022 releases

Related artist(s): Kamala

More info
http://kamalapsych.bandcamp.com/album/limbo666

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.