KO Computer is the 22nd album by french legends Hifiklub who I mainly know from the period of the bands career on Le Son Du Maquis Records. This album was recorded in Chicago with Steve Albini producing it at his Electrical Audio Studio shortly before he left the stage permanently. The album was recorded entirely to tape by permanent members Jean-Loup Fourat and Regis Laugier with special guests this time around including Donna Diane, Brianna Tong and Eric Novak.
The A-side opens with them riding a Small Cheval through a cacophony of distorted guitars, dark drum interjections and florid yet fraught basslines as if this is a horse ride through the last days of an already collapsing society.
Lenny Conundrum is in part, where was that bassline stolen from, part unknown answers to difficult questions, part how deranged can the vocals get, in fear of what Lenny might do, will he go the full Kravitz or is he more likely to be going the Kaye Nuggets route, listen and make up your own mind of the way out of the Lenny Conundrum.
Sunny Day, Midnight Black is a dark post punk maelstrom with hints of Albert Ayler like skronks among the crunching riffs and plough the depths drumming.
Satan's Armpit could easily be that smell of someone whose been on a weekend long binge, without sleep, in hot sweaty clubs and they lift their arms and you smell that smell, recoiling in terror, the lyrics are dark dank and full of horrors for the super massive horror at the centre of Satan's Armpits.
The B-side opens with Angelfood that sounds like The Slits going Indie-synth-pop with dentist drill feedbacking guitar for the desperate vocals seeking a way out of all the hurt and pain.
Waiting For My Richman I've got 26 roadrunners in my hand, I've gone up to Boston Common and failed to meet the secretary from the Government Centre, instead settling for this dazzling flight of little airplane guitar drags and some heavy sax action drawing us in too the wondrous world, that sounds nothing like the Modern Lovers.
Sinking Boats is doom laden look at how the human race are sinking ever closer to oblivion, the pain they cause along the way. It of course has resonance for anyone who has ever scratched their heads at the so called Small boats problem, wondering why the politicians won't take the easy solution of letting them onto the big boats. This has a distended post punk goth feel.
The album closes with A Vicious Hit that is certainly a heavier and nastier hit than Lou Reeds Vicious ever gets, bass propulsion crashing into the up for a brawl guitars to leave you feeling like they've just run you over with a bulldozer.
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