Vital Weekly

FdW | March 30, 2005

Kryptogen Rundfunk is a new name for me, from Russia. So far there have been two releases on Mechanoise Labs as well as a track on Susan Lawly's 'Extreme Music From Russia', all of which I never heard. '22.SZ' was already recorded in 2002 and supposed to be released by Zhelezobeton, but it ended up on Mechanoise Labs. Kryptogen Rundfunk uses analogue synthesizers, radio sounds and drummachines to create a sound that is best described as old school industrial meeting ambient-drone music. Harsh, metallic sounding shortwave radio sounds intercept with the analogue drones and occasionally a rhythmic patterns move in. Not a very innovative sound that is going on here, but it's nevertheless recorded and produced nicely. The eight pieces are varied enough, including the old Soviet anthem in 'Goworit Moskwa!' and each has strength of it's own. Maybe not the sort of thing I'd be playing a lot, but nice enough; it stands out among the rest of this kind of music.

link to original review