It is always refreshing to find projects as dark and experimental as that of Rekk&Kutoboy. This duo hailing from Moscow is formed by experimental electronic musician Katya Rekk and multidisciplinary artist Ilya Kutoboy, and after finding each other, they’ve become a dream team working at the intersection of noise and experimental techno. Today, they release a self-titled EP conformed of five different tracks, each of them taking us to the deepest parts of the underground scene in his native city.
The song setting the tone for the entire record is Hkto-Hkto, arguably the hardest to classify of the lot. It starts with distorted synth sounds that give the song an eerie, even spooky atmosphere. Voices sound like those of demons or unholy creatures, sometimes laughing, sometimes screaming. As the song progresses, the base turns more rhythmic but not really danceable. Snake Bush has a more punk feeling to it, with Katya singing with a voice that conveys some kind of rage and even protest. At almost seven minutes long, it is the longest track in the EP, and it also features lots of synths and noise distortions, but it becomes more danceable by the end of it, building up momentum.
Higher takes us to a more hypnotising universe, one that reminds us of artists like TR/ST or Boy Harsher. It’s subtle, mysterious, and captivating. Keren Terrasse is probably the more club-oriented, even though the beginning sounds like a Medieval religious song. It’s almost cult-like, but it quickly turns into a banger that reverbs the vocals and puts the pedal to the metal on the electronic base. To close the EP, the Moscow-based duo has decided on Beyond, which helps your heart rate slow down with a way calmer production.
After listening to Rekk&Kutboy, it’s clear that this artist duo has vast experience in modulation, distortion, and production. They’ve crafted a record that feels cohesive despite each song being very different from each other. All of their different angles show you a same point of view but from a wide myriad of experiences.
