Review: Skloss ‘The Pattern Speaks’
The first time I bumped into the Austin-based drummer, visual artist, and producer Karen Skloss, was during her stint with the ephemeral yet captivating indie rock band Moving Panoramas. Skloss‘ drumming skills and artistic sensibility were on full display with Moving Panoramas, a band that deftly blended the dreamy, shoegaze-influenced soundscapes of Lush with the raw, emotive energy of Throwing Muses.
Though this band was short-lived, Skloss‘ impact on the Austin music scene was undeniable, leaving a mark with her dynamic performances and creative vision. However, as the old adage wisely states, ‘it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.’ In the case of the Covid pandemic, this unexpected and challenging twist of fate has propelled Skloss to embark on an exciting new musical odyssey in collaboration with her husband, Sandy Carson, a skilled Scottish guitarist formerly of the boundary-pushing post-rock/folk ensemble Iglomat. The pair called themselves simply Skloss.
Immersed in a chaotic yet cathartic cacophony, and fusing their considerable talents and eclectic influences, they build their own style by melting the primal pounding of drums, the screeching wail of overdriven amplifiers, and the frenetic strumming of guitar, driven not by adherence to any particular musical genre, but rather by an overpowering urge to crank the volume and unleash a maelstrom of raw, unbridled sonic energy.
This deafening wall of sound serves as both a shield and a release, momentarily blocking the boredom and despair that threaten to consume them, while at the same time, providing a much-needed outlet for pent-up frustrations and creative impulses that might otherwise remain forever bottled up inside. Yet even amid the fury and din, there are fleeting moments of respite, brief interludes of relative calm in which they allow themselves to explore more subtle and introspective modes of expression, delving deep into the inner realms of thought and feeling in search of solace and self-discovery.
Skloss‘ debut offering arrives in the form of a captivating double A-sided single Voices Travel Through This, a mesmerising ten minutes that serves as a compelling introduction into their realm of experimental heavy, psychedelic space doom. From the first reverberating notes, the music conjures visions of a secluded wooden cabin, tucked away in some remote forest, where the band crafts their hypnotic soundscapes. The droning riffs and pulsating rhythms emanate from this mysterious abode’s bowels, echoing the spirit of Hawkwind’s cosmic explorations.
This is heavy music as high art, uncompromising and unforgettable, an album that doesn’t just demand your attention, it puts your head in a vice grip and doesn’t let go…
As the sprawling composition unfolds, Skloss demonstrates their uncanny ability to transport you to another dimension. Through masterful use of atmospheric textures, haunting melodies and crushing heaviness, they create an immersive auditory experience feeling both ancient and futuristic, earthbound and interstellar.
From the very first moments of their debut album, The Pattern Speaks, it’s clear that this is no ordinary musical journey. The title itself hints at the meticulous crafting and deliberate structure that went into assembling these eight tracks, each one a wall of distorted guitar noise that collide with pummelling, high-energy drums in a relentless onslaught that would leave even The White Stripes slack-jawed in amazement. The duo attacks each song with a ferocious intensity, the sound so huge and all-encompassing that it gives the impression of a much larger ensemble rather than the work of a mere duo.
While calling to mind the cathartic heaviness of experimental acts like Canadian husband-and-wife duo Nadja and Dylan Carlson’s Olympia, Washington project Earth, this album carves its own singular path through the noise-rock wilderness. The songs flow together seamlessly, building and releasing tension with the precision of an expert tailor, not a stitch out of place.
It’s an exhilarating, cathartic experience, a maelstrom of sound that offers no quarter, no respite, save for the briefest of breathers on Plugged Into Jupiter. Even then, it’s only a momentary lull before the storm surges again, each new wave of distortion and feedback crashing over you until you’re left battered but enlivened, emerging from the squall with ears ringing and synapses firing.
This is heavy music as high art, uncompromising and unforgettable, an album that doesn’t just demand your attention, it puts your head in a vice grip and doesn’t let go. Strap in, press play, and let The Pattern Speaks take the wheel. Your final destination? Unknown. But one thing’s for sure – this is heavy music as a purifying force, a sonic baptism by fire.
Label: Fuzz Club Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Domenico ‘Mimmo’ Caccamo
