Music that should come with a health warning: “May cause eye irritation. May damage hearing. Will destroy speakers.”
I’ve never really understood why Belgium is a hot spot for electronics. Maybe it’s the industrial heritage of this Lowland country, or the range of influences that flow through its borders. Whatever it is Belgium is always punching above its weight when it comes to machine music. I recently came across a new imprint coming from that landlocked nation, from Ghent to be precise. I’ve only been to there once before. Canals and Cathedrals and quite lovely—I went for an Acid party. So when the smileys festooning Kromatones’ inner labels stared back at me I’d a decent idea of what was in store.
T-9 introduced the label back in June of 2014 with five accounts of late night carnage. This homegrown talent balances nosebleed speed with oil slick Techno, dancefloor debauchery countered by some milder moments like “Dreamer.” Bass and beat batter. Amidst thick slabs of kick drum and snare is an intoxicating enthusiasm. There’s an exuberance and a never sleep attitude. 303 napalm scalds and scorches with “Disorientated;” absolute analogue obliteration arriving with tomahawk attack of “Keep Running.”
Dashadow is a new name to me, but one thing is immediately obvious; the ferocity laid down by T-9 is more than maintained by this Netherlander. Sweat rains and BPM’s race for the opening fist fight of “No Beyond,” a melee that sees tooth and nail scratch and slice into the ragged flesh of “Screaming Machine.” But amidst the violent hedonism, the brimstone and brutality, is some reflection. Beats are slowed for the soulful washes of “Rising Above” but tempos are quick erupt once again. “Breaking Barriers” is fire and fury, cymbals and bass clashing in a final 303 rush.
For the latest an experienced hand has been drafted in. Vincent Koreman has been pioneering electronics for near two decades. Of late he’s been gaining some serious attention under his Drvg Cvltvre mask. But it’s to one of Koreman’s older monikers that the Ghent label is turning. As Ra-X the Dutchman served up molten 303 industrial tunes for labels like Bunker, Kommando6 and Mighty Robot Recordings. Real Men Don’t Cry, Real Acid Don’t Die revives eight past pieces. Raw, coarse and unapologetically harsh, this is chlorine drenched aural warfare. Straight out of the annals of the Universal Indicator and Acid Planet series these are sonic canker sores that adhere to the traditions of fog machine, strobe light and pounding percussion. Tough, unrelenting and at times downright frightening this is a sound that will dislodge teeth from their gums.
I-F recently DJ’d in Madrid under his lesser known Beverly Hills 808303 moniker, although the name I-F was on the posters to ensure punter attendance. I missed it, away in Ireland for the Christmas. But I heard about it, two hours of floor melting Acid, two hours of pile driver pound and thermonuclear thump. These characteristically 90s sounds haven’t had the same revival that House or Synth Wave have enjoyed. But there are those whose appetite leans towards destruction. Kromatones has that sadistic hunger. T-9. Da-Shadow. Ra-X. Theirs are tracks that rub salt into wounds, tracks that boil brains and leave eyes vinegared. This is music that should come with a health warning: “May cause eye irritation. May damage hearing. Will destroy speakers.”
Visit Kromatones at soundcloud.com/kromatones.
