Introducing a refreshing twist of creativity, redirecting things away from the contemporary sound for a grunge-meets-shoegaze introduction of hazy guitars and the live crash of drums – Knflct set the mood with ease, for the brand new album Only You Can Start Fires.
Nost Put is the opener, atmospheric and bold yet softened with the effects and production of a simpler era, resulting in a nostalgically dark vibe that builds up with a brilliant sense of live performative escapism.
Versatility is not only a strength but a central trait of this project, something made clear by the immediate shift to creative sound-design for JOHNWICK. Hip Hop qualities meet with trippy production for a brief and quirky recapturing of any wandering minds.
Twenty-four tracks in total make up the new Knflct collection, ranging from the electro-fuzz and ethereal embrace of a contemplative where did the time go?, to the vastly juxtaposed intensity and colour of THE STORM (uBe’s Revenge). Along the way we get lashings of artistic freedom, retro bass-lines and gamer tones fusing with haunting reflections on life and the world – Cutest a fine example, 4K (All The Same) another.
Knflct drives with something of a freestyle approach to expression, rather than a genre preference or structured edge of songwriting. Thus we get a handful of diary-like outpourings, warped and toyed with amidst simple yet melodic arrangements.
Sometimes things turn towards industrial weight and electronic indulgence, the likes of KEVstyle working as a highlight for its simplicity and hypnotic appeal. Then in stark contrast, quick and catchy riffs with bright synth choices make up the striking and memorable Fashionably Hate – a definite favourite.
From one track to the next things continue to shift gears – heavy fuzz and distortion, melody and poetic wonder, moving into arbitrary statements and ambient space – DnB freshness for uBe take’s over for a bit, sorry progressing towards the equally likable Vibes | Lies. Variety is essential, but still the voice and the playful nature of the music maintains its roots amidst the Knflct sound.
Other highlights include the aptly-titled and enchanting calm before the storm, and the bass-thick and haunting yet stylish closer Kntrl.
In short, eclecticism is a central value of this album, yet audience-awareness meets with personality and freedom in unexpected doses along the way. An impressively unique, impossible to pigeon-hole playlist.
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