(K-raa-K)³
Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat : If the Sky falls, we shall catch larks (B,2005)**°
This project has a strange, unattractive and “loaded” name I must say, which derived from the idea that in the Dark Ages witches were supposed to confess they had kissed the anus of the black cat, -say the devil- when they were accused and were condemned of being witches with at least some standard of confession. I assume the idea behind the choice of name it is one of a disappointed vision on irrational logical tendencies in society. “Nihil, as in Nihilism” for instance is some sort of protest song, inspired by the anger he felt after seeing the kind of mediacircus money-collecting after the Tsunami disaster. “Almost, Silver” is a more personal song, about unrequited love. The music itself is built up by two parallel shadowy existences : the disappointing real evolutions on one hand, with songs sung by a dark voice, comparable to David Tibet’s Current 93 band, and a utopian mood / sphere with a desire for beauty, stylistically expressed by a background of a more acid folk kind of improvisation which includes some drones and fingerpicking. The acid folk element is partly inspired in idea by shaman or religious music, and this part is flavoured with a kind of Psychic TV inspiration. The guitar picking confirms the song structure and general evolutions. The song and word expressions aren’t so forward or focused as with Current 93, and for me are dissolved by the general mood- trance evolution.
For “Sevenfold”, my favourite track of the album, people I think will be reminded of Current 93 mostly, and it sounds also like some specific tracks from them. This track is performed as a ritualistic complaint, with some nice semi-eastern pickings near the end. The voice here has additional layers of howling and murmuring.
“Nihil, as in nihilism”, my second favourite, with more nice fingerpicking, is mixed nicely with a tampura drone effect, some keyboard, a well understood effect which also benefits the colours and evolution in singing / structure of the song. “Sighing, seething, soothing” is for most of the long track, a nice spherical minimal ambient-acoustic track, with repetitive minimal gothic electric piano, led by second member Bart Reekmans mixed with moody drones, with chimes, gongs, bells and keyboards effects, causing a slower evolving wave throughout the track, before the song reveals itself, with additional distorted guitar drones, flute-like keyboards, hurdy-gurdy-like drones and background vocals. Last track, “Almost, Silver” (or here) is another fingerpicking song with additional strummed guitar, sparse percussion and keyboards and accordion (?).
Leader of the band is Stef Heeren. On the CD he is called Stef Irritant (=irritating Stef) or Stef ‘Anus’. He had started in a punk band. For the last few years this is his own direction, vision expression and project.
