Watch: Ketev “Uruk” (exclusive)

08 Apr 2014 — Evelyn Malinowski

Once again Opal Tapes delivers to us homemade electronica formerly from the outer reaches. As this music approaches some kind of center, perhaps a center of our contemplation (as some of this stuff tends to be very brooding), it furthermore beckons admiration in a double-take fashion, like passing a person or sight that is worth turning around for. Laslo Antal captured such an occurrence for Berlin-based Ketev's slurpping, accessible yet undoubtedly dark "Uruk" off of the self-titled release due April 20th. While the film quality, stride and speculation of the person on camera (presumably the artist Yair Elazar Glotman), as well as the mantric beat, all give the impression of a street scene of some kind, we double-take to resolve that this footage was taken indoors, and that there's something familiar about the stacks of specimen soaking in viles of formaldehyde. This work has done an interesting job masking the Berlin Naturkundemuseum, as I have walked these same corridors numerous times yet was only vaguely reminded of the place instead of quick to recognize it. Such an effect is fitting for Ketev's abstracting style, which in a way reminds me of the more experimental material by This Heat. Since Glotman phases "patterns from Reel-to-reel tape loops being manipulated by 4-Track cassette decks creating roaring textures above slow shifting rhythmic mantras," a comparison to This Heat is not so terribly far off as they are famous for tape manipulation and reel-to-reel looping (as well as being awesome).

Ketev is out April 20th on Opal Tapes, and you can pre-order the cassette here.