Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug/King Midas Sound/Techno Animal/Zonal) has teamed up with Joseph Kamaru (KMRU) for a new collaborative album called Disconnect, out 14th June on Phantom Limb Records. The press release describes the project as ‘a powerful study of dread, hope, and profound sonics that marries depth-trawling dub with Kamaru’s voice, ambient sensibilities, and negative space’ and the lead track Differ doesn’t disappoint, providing a copious amount of cosmic spaciousness and that we’ve come to expect from Martin in his more ambient Kevin Richard Martin productions.
‘Differ’ immediately recalls the spacious intensity Martin produced alongside Justin Broadrick (Godflesh/Jesu/JK Flesh) and Moor Mother with Zonal, balancing his own more ambient explorations under the Kevin Richard Martin moniker, and has gotten me very keen to hear the full album, which will be released as a double LP in June.
Again from the press release: Kevin Martin first became aware of Kenyan ambient musician KMRU “watching the short 2020 documentary Under The Bridge,” he tells us. “Which, aside from immediately finding Joseph’s approach to sound and music so instantly impressive, I also found his spoken voice possessed a captivating, lilting, tonal quality, with his soft-spoken accent.” Following this, Martin dug into Kamaru’s records, and found not only a kindred spirit in skilful exploration of sonic space, but also a fan of The Bug. So began a mutually respectful relationship, initially held in Instagram DMs and reciprocal admiration for each other’s work and eventually blossoming into an invitation sent by Kevin to Joseph to collaborate on a new album, which would become Disconnect.
Head over to Phantom Limb’s Bandcamp here to preorder the album, and while you’re listening you should jump into this three part interview Cyclic Defrost conducted with Kevin Martin back in 2019 Part One, Part Two and Part Three after his release of the first Kevin Richard Martin album on Room40.
Kevin Richard Martin and Joseph Kamaru’s debut album Disconnect will be released on 14th June through Phantom Limb.
