Konntinent — Kiruna
Konntinent is a London based one man project that’s been in existence since 2008, and has put out ten or so releases that take in MP3 album, CDRs, Tapes & CD’s. Behind the project is one Antony Harrison who is also known for work under his own name, as well as under the project names of: Arev Konn(an outlet for more abstract and abrasive work) & Paco Sala (an outlet for his love of hip-hop, Italo-disco, & synth-infused pop music).
According to the albums press release these six tracks where result of various improvised synth & electronic session that took place in January and February of 2011, against the backdrop of London’s coldest winter in memory. The album is meant to be very much inspired by the depths of winter, and the impenetrable nights of the Swedish town that the album is named after. And with out a doubt there’s certainly a very cold, dark & bleak feel running through-out all the tracks on offer here.
The tracks move from weaving ‘n’ slightly wonky interlocking dark sci-fi synth textures of the opening track “Hayashi Drag Track”. Onto the doomy piano, creepy synth chirping, meets hopeless ‘n’ stark guitar weaving & slowed sinister vocal babble of “Creep Sxene”. Through to the dense, brooding, and sweeping synth textural dwells ‘n’ wavers of “Pulserande”, which does towards the end turn slightly more hopeful & brightly harmonic- yet there’s still a slowing ‘n’ darkly wonky spirit present that finally sucks the track to a stand still
Over the albums full length Harrison managers to create this great ‘n’ distinct cold, dark & often unwell vibe, yet he also managers to inject some variation into his composition & the tools he uses to create the tracks. “Kiruna” is well worth a look if your after an effective, bleakly moody, dark yet often slight unwell electronica album.