8 ARMED MONKEY

A difficult and burdensome effort from Pat Mastelotto's experimental quartet which features the accordion as a lead instrument, KTU's '8 Armed Monkey' will try the patience of many. It may also challenge, enthrall and surprise. That depends on the listener, but there's certainly no lack of commitment on these five cuts averaging 9 minutes each. The whole affair is rather moody, emotionally deceptive and even playful, often giving us something we don't necessarily need to be hearing. The terribly gradual 'Sumu' or the disturbed orator in 'Optikus', with Samuli Kosminen's bizarre voice samples and accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen's tortured yelling. But when paid closer attention there is something worthy here, something musical at least. At times the recording swallows us not unlike the atmospherics of Kayo Dot, Mogwai, even the post-Discipline Crims, though KTU is rarely as compelling. 'Sineen' with its quasi-industrialism and Tortoise-like layers of noise, rock drive of 'Absinthe' when Mastelotto's skills finally break through and we get a killer performance from Trey Gunn on WG, and slow snakecharming in 'Keho' where the soft pulse of the earth generates some very strange things. Should this one go on your list? Probably not, but I give it points for at least trying to be a good collection of soundscapes and explorations of how music interacts with emotion.

KTU is excellent multinational experimental prog project but only very few fans know about them! And it's a shame!

Basic member of this band is Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen. Yes - accordionist! For wide public he is know possibly as one-time collaborator of KC/Fripp's Project Three (in live performance). But there in Northern Europe he is almost cult figure, member and collaborator of many interesting projects for years. But most important - excellent solo musician.

Speaking about accordionist, many imagine Al Di Meola's New Sinfonia ( with very nice Argentinean/Italian accordion music), or Central European folklore. No way - Kimmo Pohjonen is metal accordionist, musical tornado, playing electric gothic folk -jazz-metal, heavily based on Nordic folklore. And dancing tribal dances on scene, when playing. Unhappily, I missed two times KTU concerts during last some years (happened not too far from my hometown, in Tallinn and Helsinki). But I saw Kimmo Pohjonen playing solo in Vilnius (at annual International Accordion Festival), you can't imagine that feeling - heavy electric accordion music, played by Nordic Shaman!

KTU was founded as "double duo", almost in KC tradition. Half of KTU is TU - Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto duo. Another half - Finnish duo of accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen (samples, electronic devices).

This, debut (live) album was recorded during their first tour in 2005. To be honest, you will hardly find there too much KC-related music. It is mostly experimental gothic jazz, Nordic folk, experimental rock, plenty of samples and electronic effects mixing in one tribal, dark, atmospheric ,with industrial soundscapes, sound.

Some songs are excellent ("Optikus" and "Absinthe") , another - more experimental, but in whole you can find there fresh energetic sound of modern industrial shamanism. I think, KTU placing under eclectic prog tag is a big mistake, they are more avant prog. There they really will find much more dedicated listeners.

If you're bored of mellow endless harmonies and neo-symphonic clones and are hungry for new experimental heavy progressive sound, with industrial energy and Nordic mystic, just try this.

3,5 rounded to 4.