AK/DK’s new album ‘Patterns/Harmonics’ takes us deeper into their ever-changing, kaleidoscopic world of wild synths and drums. A joyful barrage of distorted drums and rhythms interweaves with simmering electronics. Known for their high energy and structural abandon as a live act, the duo now reveal a glimpse of their production and compositional nuance with their second, full-length album. Alongside their relentless disco-punk drums and Carpenter-esque arpeggios, a more developed sound is now on offer.
The new recordings reveal the band evolving their musical style and structures; songs such as the title track ‘Patterns / Harmonics’ and the new single ‘Morphology’ display the raw energy and almost no-wave punk aesthetic of the group. Compare this to the dense, electronic composition of others such as ‘Bright Isles of Lights’ and the conjoined atmospheres of ‘Modulahhh’ and ‘Modulaargh’. When interspersed between the Devo like driving riffs of dance-floor-bangers like ‘Lagom’ and ‘Modulate to Accumulate’ you can begin to hear how the band deftly blends their various styles and influences. This album takes us on a journey from the dreamy melodies of Kraftwerk, via the deep electronica of Delia Derbyshire and James Holden, to the searing noise of bands such as Hookworms and Battles.
AK/DK are a band most at home on stage and their stream of largely improvised layers of fizzing arpeggios and crushing motorik drums has earned them places at many of the stages and festivals all around the UK and Europe, including Latitude, End of The Road, ArcTanGent and Green Man.
