Al Karpenter - The Forthcoming

On their third album, Al Karpenter merges its singular vision with a host of collaborators. In synchronicity with a recent CIA Debutante team-up, the Berlin-based group rises to the challenge of expanding its parameters. As Al Karpenter’s resident theoretician Mattin explains, “The last record was a result of the pandemic, introverted and low energy. The Forthcoming is a result of the possibilities of making music and touring again. We had such an amazing time on tour with Sunik Kim, Dominic Coles and Triple Negative, that at the end of our concert at Cafe Oto, we all played together.”

Whether delving into manic plunderphonics with Sunik Kim on “A Brand New Brontophobia” [an intense fear of extremely loud, natural noises in the environment - dict. ed.] or accessing the hidden burrows that tunnel beneath polite society with anarchic rock-folk deconstructionists Triple Negative on the title track, Al Karpenter is revolving around its own matrix. “Poison Sun” throws the New York-based Coles into the mix and you feel as if you are seesawing between competing parties, attempting to soak up their atmospheres during each pass through. Mattin again: “The feeling of exuberance, chaos and fragmentation is confronted with the pleasures of collective music making. This record is outwards, full on and complex. Tiktok attention span meets electroacoustic and concrete techniques. This record is of today.”

It’s about time — The Forthcoming is here, for ever more.