Komfortrauschen – Gym
“Feel the speed of this furious Techno banger as it starts strong and goes on with acidic ideas. Characteristic percussive patterns gradually build up lines of deafening properties. "Komfortrauschen" truly knows how to activate your ears.”
-Nagamag.com
This acclaimed live outfit of Laurenz Karsten, Phillip Oertel and Tim Sarhan describe themselves as "three precision-obsessed control freaks that have honed their craft to a German industrial perfection." They have an uncompromising sound that welds together propulsive drums, unrepentant bass lines and searing guitars that cut through like acid. Their hedonistic live techno is crafted in analogue fashion with traditional instruments filtered through an impressive array of pedals and effects. Since forming in 2014, Komfortrauschen has played regularly at cult venues like Sisyphos, Kantine am Berghain and Kater Blau as well as all over Europe and beyond. Now they are ready for the world stage as they drop this vital debut album.
Powerful opener 'Bock' is an immediate banger, with taught, bouncing drums and rugged synth sequences permeated with flashes of acid. The visceral 'Tank' then layers up a knotted bassline and bright, searing stabs while 'Gym' is a surging and linear techno roller with scintillating percussion and sleek synth work. Lead single, 'Kapital' explores gritty broken beats and skewed pads as soulful vocal layers bring warm human emotion.
The excellent 'Da Hurt' is a prime slice of characterful techno with hooky synth motifs, slamming drums and swing in the kicks that draws you in deep. The robust Komfortrauschen sound continues with the lashing acid and hammering drums of 'Reload,' and 'KR#01' heads off into a more expansive world of cosmic melody with surging drums and widescreen chords. Finally, 'Zero' ends this most arresting record with a deeper, more undulating techno offering filled with raw percussion and well-crafted guitar lines.
‘K’ is a superb live techno album that showcases Komfortrauschen's unique sound in explosive fashion.
MORE ABOUT "K": melino.com/p/ywF06bM/kdMh6
Reviewed by Nagamag on June 6, 2022