Thursday, January 25, 2024

KMFDM : "LET GO"






 KMFDM is doing it again. This treat for the freaks is less of a truth or dare, and more of a neon-dripping funk explosion that does coke in the same dirty bathrooms as My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. There is more guitar in "Push!" but it is executed less aggressively than what might be thought of as their classic sound. This gradual change over the past few albums has come to a more noticeable head here,  I really like the more robotic tone to "Next Move". It is a more dystopian song, a vibe I can live with if they are moving away from industrial. While in some ways different the first three songs at least meet expectations of a KMFDM album even if it is less aggressive. 

"Airhead" is surprisingly melodic, and almost pop-rock. They seem to be reflecting on the 80s here. "Turn the Light On" is more like something the Revolting Cocks might have done in one of their more lucid moments. It is not one of this project's most powerful grooves if we are weighing against their legacy of work. "Touch" falls somewhere between dark wave and future pop.  The underlying pop sensibilities of this album should be noted here. While I am fine with it I am not sure where this is going to fall with their rivet-head industrial fans. However, there are a few moments that are almost passable as industrial. 

While there is less grit and heft to the tones used to capture these songs, most of the songwriting is pretty on point. 'Totem E Eggs' perhaps being too weird for its own good. "WW2023" steps back into a darker path, even with the dub elements. The last track is under a minute and really just more of an outro of odd grooving. This album is going to take a bit to grow on me, but I am optimistic that it will so I will go ahead and give it a 9.5, despite the fact it is not as dark or aggressive as I might want it to be. Being dropped on Metropolis Records.  


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