Kevin Richard Martin & KMRU release collaborative album 'Disconnect'

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Following a mutually respectful relationship, initially held in Instagram DMs and reciprocal admiration for each other’s work, we should be thankful for the invitation sent by Kevin Richard Martin (The Bug) to Joseph Kamaru (KMRU) to collaborate on a new album. Today, the results of that collaboration are released in the form of the album Disconnect.

Together, the two electronic music heavyweights chart unexplored territory in a powerful study of dread, hope, and what it means to be made other. Sonically, it marries Martin’s deep-trawling dub with Kamaru’s poetry, voice, and ambient spatial sensibility. “I think I surprised Joseph by suggesting he contributes vocals,” says Martin about the collaboration. It's indeed surprising, coming from a musician specializing in instrumental, field recording-laced ambient music, but the results are mesmerizing.

"The album originated from an exploration of a text I wrote during my sound art studies, delving into the complexities of Otherness. The project served as a response to Audre Lorde's idea that differences should be embraced as a dynamic force within humanity, rather than a perceived threat." - KMRU

Kevin Richard Martin & KMRU perform at Le Guess Who? 2024 on Saturday, 9 November, co-curated with Semibreve and supported by TIMES. Also performing at the festival are a.o. DARKSIDE, Crystallmess, Kim Gordon, Angry Blackmen, Theo Parrish, and many more.