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Out now on Crosstown Rebels: ffm.to/krustctr
On 6th November Bristolian master Krust presents 'The Edge Of Everything' – his first album in 14 years. The pre-eminent electronic icon – who continuously blew minds throughout the 90s and 00s – has returned from a 10 year hiatus rejuvenated and artistically freed.
He took time out to explore liberating new philosophical, mental and creative processes, then employed an approach he describes as “80% psychology and 20% mechanics”, to strive for something authentically unique and original. And the results really show; this is Krust as futurist revisionist, on his best ever form, making exhilarating standout music of depth and substance, which sounds unlike anything else.
Inspired by everything from Christopher Nolan to Hegel, Martin Scorsese to The Kabbalah, Krust is ready to shake things up with his wildly engrossing new sonics. On this multi-layered masterpiece parallel threads run simultaneously, operating as gripping fantasy tale, profound trip into Ego death and rebirth, deeply personal expression, and all-inclusive proposal for the improvement of creativity and global society.
‘The Edge Of Everything’ is as much a movie as it is an album, with a combination of adventure and brains that shares DNA with the metaphysical blockbuster ‘Inception.’ In turns psychological thriller, action romp and sci fi space opus, the album has a narrative arc which charts a physical, mental and spiritual journey to far beyond and back, full of detours and levels.
The record champions embracing the unknown and tackling the uncomfortably unfamiliar, with an unnamed protagonist at the precipice, with no choice but to take a leap of faith. Diving headfirst into the unexplored realms, a perilous quest of self-discovery is undertaken, before finally returning home, forever changed for the better. “This is something everyone is the world is faced with now; as we enter the abyss of unprecedented times, uncertainty and turmoil, we have to face the reality of our future and adapt”, comments Krust.
He adds, “even if we’re dragged kicking and screaming, we’re going into a new world, whether we like it or not. Some people don’t want change and are reluctant to do something different, but in myself and others I'm pushing forward to show our capabilities and say that we don’t need be afraid. We have to embrace change, come to terms with life in a different way, and find different approaches. We need to take risks.
It's the same with certain scenes and genres, which musicians shouldn’t feel handcuffed to. We shouldn’t try and maintain the status quo – it's gone now anyway! Do we want new and wonderful, or more of the same? We’re going into new world kicking and screaming, whether we like it or not. We're at a fork in the road and there’s no way back.”
Although a universal hero/heroine, it’s possible the protagonist is an avatar of Krust himself, who following a breakdown left his familiar world of music and entered uncharted territory. “I walked away, took a stap back to discover new things and re-think. I went on retreats and workshops, meditated, studied beliefs and neuro-linguistic programming, and thought a lot about creativity and consciousness. I had to really consider, ‘who is Kirk Thompson’?”
When making the album, Krust shattered his usual preconceptions, life patterns and working methods; he scattered them across the galaxy, explored the unknown, gathered the shards, and returned – reassembling them into brand new fantastical shapes.
- Genre
- Drum & Bass