writer’s notes
every CS + Kreme album is for the mischievous mind to make whatever it wants of it. in its essence are stories of twisted fate, the dancing of good and evil, fabricated memories flickering at the edges of a flame, provoking thought, instigating a cerebral high. perhaps this is the band's very intention. hallucinogens for the ears encapsulate tales of futuristic folk, and disruptive sound textures perpetuate a wide-eye experience of tinted realities. throughout their adventures, Conrad Standish and Sam Karmel have skilfully explored and crafted a rich sound palette, producing pivotal works, notable earworms Snoopy (2020) and Orange (2022). their experiments enable the dramatic blends of moaning atmospherics that loom and stretch, lush acoustic strings, glitchy drum patterns, and winding vocals, all conjured for poetic impact, running at a steady dub-wise pace, psychedelic audio narratives akin to folklore passed down through the ages. the eloquent strands in their compositions tense and ease with purpose, eliciting tender resonation to the sonics, the after-effects of spiritual dialogue. there is a sentimental response to the sound when played in a dimly lit, hazy room, effortlessly guiding the mind into an unrestrained, woozy trance.
in conversation
following their recent release, a very descriptively titled The Butterfly Drinks The Tears Of the Tortoise, on London's eccentric record label The Trilogy Tapes, I asked the band a few questions:
1/3
in The Butterfly Drinks the Tears of the Tortoise, is there an emotional narrative behind the album headline and corresponding track titles?
I wouldn't necessarily assume that there is an intended narrative between the album title and track titles, though of course you are free to draw whatever emotion you like from this. track titles are, 9 times out of 10, just something mildly amusing between Sam and I. sometimes they might come from a moment of psychedelic clarity, or often (usually) they might be nonsensical. I think they're mostly drawn from random associations, with the occasional 'poignant' one thrown in. on the previous LP 'Orange' there were some small phrases that I took from Basho zen haikus - 'Storm Rips Banana Tree' being one. the current album title I'd had kicking around for a while, and when the sound and the colour of this record took shape, we both realised it was a nice encapsulation for it.
Conrad Standish
2/3
the sound textures you work with are technical and complex, yet the feeling is expansive. where do the two meet when developing hallucinatory sounds?
it just seems we both have brains that like being tickled by 3D production with lots of dynamics. we also have natural intrigue into new production techniques and tech that is floating about as a tool to make something cool. new tech has influenced us as the years tick by. I worked with ambisonics and studied computer music in the early 2000s so 3D sound worlds have always been of interest. we like to work this stuff into the subconscious so it shouldn't be necessarily easily noticed, it helps with the trance. Sam Karmel
3/3
CS + Kreme opened the final day of the OPENLESS edition of Berlin Atonal. in a live performance as such, how do venue space design and audience reciprocation influence the form of meditative horizontal music you present? does improvisation play a role in this?
that was one of our favourite shows to date. obviously it's a very rare blessing that you get to perform in a space like that one, but really we just do what we do, regardless if it's a venue like Kraftwerk or if it's a small basement bar somewhere. the sound system plays a huge role in how we are or aren't able to convey our ideas. improvisation, and our combined mood, plays a large role in every show. our songs have semi-defined sections, but how we approach them and play within them is always dependent on the night. we are pushing back a little at the notion of playing 'meditative' music at the moment. we definitely aren't wanting to contribute further to the already saturated world of 'ambient'! it's nice for us (and hopefully for the audience) to play as dynamically as possible. I really enjoy being able to work with moments of great intensity but also great fragility. Conrad Standish
album & other links
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