KASSIE KRUT

As introductory salvos go, there were few as audacious as Kassie Krut's “Reckless” this year. Against drums so slamming they sounded like something already dead hitting the floor, singer Eve Alpert sang one of the most indelible refrains of the year: “If you ask me who I wanna be / Imma spell it out so it's plain to see / K-A-S-S-I-E K-R-U-T-T-T-T”. With its quasi-techno structure and unabashed pop core, “Reckless” was a far cry from the sidewinding math rock Alpert and bandmate Kasra Kurt made in their former band Palm. Rounded out by Matt Anderegg, the trio's self-titled EP, released today, continues in the propulsive, brazen spirit of “Reckless”. In highlights like “Racing Man” and “Blood”, Alpert's cut-glass vocals suggest Toni Basil at the demolition derby, while sawtooth synths build tension that never seems to break. Kassie Krut belongs to a proud musical tradition of pop with industrial characteristics, with echoes of SOPHIE, Sleigh Bells and ESG in its mutant mix. “Yeah, you wanna be a freak like me?” offers Alpert near the climax of “Reckless”. “Better get on board.” You don't have to tell us. TANK spoke to Kassie Krut on minimalism, their modified guitar setup and the delusion of toughness – listen to their mix and read the interview below. 

TANK Palm disbanded last year, yet even before that, you were releasing music as Kassie Krut. What did you want to explore in this project that wasn’t available to you recording as Palm?
KASSIE KRUT Writing music with Palm was so fun but also so slow. It would often take us half a day to learn how to play an idea well enough to even be able to evaluate whether or not we liked it. The intention with Kassie Krut was to be more streamlined, more off the cuff. Taking advantage of the computer to throw down ideas quickly before losing perspective. Another difference is that with Kassie Krut we don’t have specific roles. I played guitar in Palm so most of my contributions started there. But now I can build a song around drums (my first instrument) or bass (my new fav instrument). Matt’s a synth and production wizard but he’s also one of the best drummers I know. Eve’s a dub master but also shreds on multiple instruments. So that’s been really liberating and fun.

TANK You described “Reckless” as an exercise in restraint. What’s your relationship with limitations in your creative process?
KK In a band you’re limited by the number of hands available, and the proficiency of those hands. It’s almost forced restraint. But with electronic music limitations are almost non-existent: you can layer an infinite variety of sounds and parts and effects. In my experience that usually doesn’t sound good, though, so we’re consciously trying to do as much as we can with as few elements as possible. Generally if a sound is added, a different sound is subtracted. It’s really satisfying when it works. I like that “Reckless” has just one bass note and one drum beat and a couple of chords.

TANK The song comes from the perspective of a “tougher version” of yourselves. What does toughness mean to you?
KK I’m not sure how tough we are, so it’s definitely aspirational. I guess I associate toughness with knowing something is futile or meaningless but doing it anyway. We’re all defeated or soon to be… To me, there’s something tough about living as if that’s not the case. Toughness as pretending, or toughness as delusion.

TANK The Guy Kozak-directed video for “Reckless” brought films by Michael Snow and Hollis Frampton to my mind. What was your vision for it?
KK It was very much Guy’s vision. I think we were all keen to avoid some of the overly self-serious visual aesthetics that usually go along with abrasive or industrial-leaning electronic music.  

TANK Tell me about your modified guitar setup.
KK It’s some cheap mall guitar. Me and Eve have been messing with preparing guitars since we were Sonic Youth-obsessed teens – jamming metal rods through the strings, twisting strings around each other, etc. The guitar we use for Kassie Krut has 3 strings, two tuned to the same note, and the third wrapped in rubber gardening wire. Then we stick a metal bar under the strings and push it all through some pedals. It’s fun and sounds kinda crazy but it’s also really unpredictable and sounds totally different every time we perform.

TANK What do each of your members bring to the band’s overall vision?
EVE ALPERT Charm.
KASRA KURT Restlessness.
MATT ANDEREGG Execution.

TANK Is there more music in the works?
KK Yes! We have many songs in the works. Hopefully an album next year.

Kassie Krut is out now. Photo by Kit Ramsay