K-Group - New Series 1

Surface of the Earth's Paul Toohey reignites the cannons with this latest long player under the K-Group alias, following on fairly swiftly from 2020's year-beating Series 4, both courtesy of the reliable Knotwilg stable. Toohey once again proves himself an elemental force, ushering in those same seismic eruptions that were a trademark of SOTE and shaping them with an artful restraint, an infinite horizon of storm warnings seeking negative space in the fog. I can listen to this kind of inverted guitar-flexing forever, a seemingly endless cresting of distortion and drone that never quite spills over, like that one deep intake of breath just before you go under. So forceful is it, it's hard to avoid Toohey's previous output when considering any new work, though you're missing the point entirely if you hear this as a retreading of old ground. If with SOTE Toohey and co were haphazardly stumbling upon greatness, on New Series 1 it feels entirely masterful, an artist in direct communication with the void, attuned to the ether and moving the air at will, a flying saucer landing (or maybe a Flying Saucer Attack?). K-Group will perform in the shop on 15th September. Let's see if the foundations hold.