Creating your best work takes time and practice. Polishing and repeating each step as much as necessary till the grinding wheel shines. Minus is a culmination of merging the best parts of two records together. Redoing and refining the material until six songs remain that are the best of both efforts. In an EP where no filler can exist, sometimes less is more with six songs that trim the fat, chopping off unnecessary body parts and material.
Krakow, are Bergen, Norway soundscape creators, starting their unique muse in 2005. With three records and a pile of EP’s they’re ready to deliver their grandest work yet. Minus is music meant to ignore genres making classification a cussing, swearing ugly mess for anyone who dares to try. It’s deep and dark delivering as much curiosity to the ear as discomfort. With stories and emotions buried in the notes needing more than a face value understanding.
They’re telling stories of time and space, making the world of today into a future story in a book read millennia from now. History is made up of the stories we choose to tell, while what’s left untold or secret are left for the curious to discover. Krakow indulges such topics weaving images through vocals as well as conjuring images in the listeners mind as fingers dance and flicker on the fret board.
Six songs comprise Minus with two shorter, ‘normal’ sized tunes opening followed by four epics. Krakow’s been around for 13 years and Minus sounds like an EP from a band that’s fine tuned their art and sound. Motorhead’s Phil Campbell evens shows up on a track.
“Black Wandering Sun” starts with jangling chords and prog-like melodic vocals as Tool and Korn merge in the catchy atmosphere. Methodical descending beats begin as the dark side within the reflection is seen with murky images cast by a blinding light like memories burned in the sand. Somber drum beats, piano keys and subtle effects lead the background narrative as ‘70s psychedelic stoner groove vocals take the listener back a few decades.
“Sirens” weaves twisted strings into a cool vintage sound. Notes hit with submerging depth offering deep and distant oceanic memories. The sea carries the coldest, oldest songs like a blue-lucid lady. Sirens call out wailing seduction through notes collecting men’s will and souls, drawing them out deep into disappearing depths.
“The Stranger” is seven minutes of stringed, lava lamp glowing light with echoed memories and lyrics. Notes are played with a sludgy spine prickling sound with entrancing, hypnotic effect. Like the lurid chase of a stalker, capture nightmare with guitars played to shock the system awake. A whirlwind ride of bliss and dramatic thunder storms with guitars twisting notes in rapture.
“From Fire From Stone” is a tribal fire and dance chord builder. Steady and sturdy like a hammer chiseling granite. Vocals are reduced to background like a tribal chant. Letting the music and beats do the business with flame forged precision, melding to the ears.
“Minus” is a melancholy, wavy, 10-minute instrumental journey of creatively dense sound, mood and changing notes, ending with a loud thunderous crescendo.
A grim chorded intro starts “Tidlaus” adding to its mild and creepy subtilties. Notes lurk like watching eyes, rolling in and around like fog or mist. Music set for an uneasy traveler going into the unknown not sure what lay ahead beyond finger reach.
Minus comes out August 31 on Karisma Records
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