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Kobi, "Dronesyndrome"
The Norwegian group’s second album is a dark and powerful collection of sinister soundscapes. Combinations of unearthly drones, organic sounds and traditional instrumentation are used to make a potent and captivating album.
Silber
Looking past the unsightly layout of the sleeve (fantastic drawings with disgusting fonts), the album opens with “Faint Echoes Ran Round the Unseen Hall (Part 1)” which sets the mood for the rest of Dronesyndrome: unease. Thick drones and incidental noises immediately fill the room and smatterings of drumming and guitar add a hint of menace to the piece. As first impressions go this has definitely put Kobi in my good books.
Instead of relying purely on drones (and Kobi are adept at creating spectacular drones) they also utilize a sparse drumming style on many tracks. They capture a primal feeling that is all too frequently absent in music. This is the sort of music that is best experienced in the dark while lying down. It is easy to get lost between the sounds and occasionally get pulled back into the land of the living. One of the song titles nails this sentiment: “Interspersed with Semi-conscious Moments.” This piece is claustrophobic and unsettling. The watery noises and scraping made me feel ill at ease. Here the group do not just rely on synthesised drones but also with cello which makes the piece sound closer to home, intensifying the force of the piece.
Some elements used during Dronesyndrome I’m less than hot on. “This Inclusion is not a Simple Operation” uses a recording that sounds like it was taken from a pre-recorded tour guide from some crappy museum. The music used in this piece is of the same quality as the rest of the album but the sound of this man talking about local history doesn’t sit well with it. Luckily these niggling moments are few and Kobi mostly bypass the usual pitfalls of dark, atmospheric music.
Kobi make great use of dynamics throughout Dronesyndrome. Careful attention to detail (it’s taken two years to make and it shows) has paid off because this album sounds amazing. The mix is never overcrowded; there is plenty of space between the sounds. This meticulous production on top of the distinctively good music means that I’ll be placing Dronesyndrome in a place of prominence on my CD rack.
samples:
- Faint Echoes Ran Round the Unseen Hall (Part 1)
- The Evening was Unusually Sultry and Heavy
- Such Variations will be Encountered Again
