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The Kali Ensemble – The Kali Ensemble CD

14 December 2011 xdementia No Comment

The Kali Ensemble – The Kali Ensemble CD

Phage Tapes/Turgid Animal

The Kali Ensemble is a collaboration between Michael Page (of Sky Burial, Irukandji, and the late Fire in the Head) and Pentti Dassum who I am unfamiliar with. The art on this disc immediately brings to mind a tribal feel with it’s Indian influenced artwork. Both songs clock in at over 30 minutes, and are respectively titled The Seven Tongues MK I & II.

Strangely enough the sounds that the Kali Ensemble present are much more industrial than tribal. The first track features some great industrial atmosphere, clanking metal and heavily distorted synthesized drones. All sounding spacious and hollow to create a creepy atmosphere. About half way through the track we can find ourselves floating in more experimental waters, with bubbling textures and more sci-fi influenced synth layers. Eventually ambient styled elements manage to leak through and finally there is some of that tribal influence to close out the last few minutes, which feature Brume-like metal percussion to accompany the seething drones.

The Seven Tongues MK II kicks off as a much more industrial track with enormous metallic clanging and chugging bass rumbles eventually pulling back to subtle ambient engine idle tones and dead air broadcasts. This track continues through a myriad of industrial ambiances continually evolving to form an enormous soundtrack to a profane world.

The music of The Kali Ensemble is quite excellently paced, with some passages slowly morphing into textures of epic proportions then focusing on minute details in the next phrase. The composition feels perfectly balanced and really pulls the listener in to these deep soundscapes. Great work from these two artists and heartily recommended for fans of industrial ambience.

Composition: ★★★★☆
Sounds: ★★★★☆
Production Quality: ★★★☆☆
Concept: ★★★★☆
Packaging: ★★★☆☆
Overall Rating: ★★★½☆

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