Odessa EP by Amas X Kønstantin Køst
Front line Techno
Creativity in the face of war has the capacity to produce unexpected beauty, as demonstrated on this gorgeous four track EP from Ukrainian musician Konstantin Kost in collaboration with German artist/label Amas. And even if there's a sense of bleak acquiescence to the artist's dire predicament, manifest through deep rhythms and melancholy melody, there's resilience and hope to be found in each track.
Like a surreptitious war cry Tanya repeats the words 'love' and 'fear' on opener Red Glow, with the underlying Dub Techno drops perfectly disseminating the message with a cool poise. In a similar vein on Nightcall, like a form of encouragement shared between comrades (or resolutely spoken to oneself) the phrase "through the night" reminds us that almost any dire situation can improve with the passing of time. Light at the end of the tunnel must prevail! Nightcall also carries the hallmarks of classic Kompakt.
Old Kings, another deep and subtle roller with dark shades of Dub Techno, features words written by Kost, inspired by the work Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The idea that while the world is ruled by 'Old Kings', these men of unchallenged privilege and power with little disposition for humanity, we must maintain our fight, even in the face of adversity. Of course, salvation will always be sought by those with faith, to which closing track Talk To God attests. Atop a driving rhythm and ascending melody, Kost recites lines from the poem "A Cloud Floating Behind the Sun" by Ukrainian writer Taras Shevchenko to great effect.
Nobody wants to experience the fallout of war first hand but this deeply effective EP offers an insight into the human condition of those unfortunate people. The stripped back sound, with vocal snippets and ~120 BPM rhythms, feels fitting too.