Exile On Mainstream Records presents the sixth from their longtime allies in Potsdam, Germany-based THE ANTIKAROSHI, today announcing L’inertie Polaire.
Creating a record is two things: music captured as a snapshot, as well as a documentation of the longer time span in which the songs were created. If you want to give that documentation and time span a name (as in a record title) the question is obvious: what has happened in the time since the last recording? On a personal scale, socially, politically, or beyond? Are things changing in directions in which they should be evolving, or is it just more of the same but with more speed and efficiency? The phrase “L’inertie polaire,” inspired by the book of the same name by Paul Virilio, approaches the uncomfortable state of postmodern society capitulating before the increasing acceleration of technological progress.
Three years after their Extract.Transform.Debase LP, THE ANTIKAROSHI is releasing album number six, which can be considered as a successor in terms of content. The trio continues exactly where they left off on L’inertie Polaire: songs that take their time to breathe, only to start up again frantically the next moment and indulge in the noise. Their volume is always a means to an end, but overall, it’s about dragging you into the moment. While the drums and bass prove to be the foundation and yet try to break through the all too familiar, the guitar is often hypnotic and imaginatively searching, while vocals consciously wander between spoken-word-esque snapshots and contained phrases.
Either way, the world is frantic, yet at a standstill, and this is exemplified in L’inertie Polaire. While a handful of exceptionally wealthy people are already saying goodbye to this planet with “Lost In Compassion”, the media machine is running like clockwork and has learned to sell bad news as good news in “Shiny White Teeth”. Wars are becoming peace missions in “Authority,” and the end all too often justifies the means when it comes to defying one’s own weight in “Gravity.” Even lakes are now for sale in “Thousand Lakes,” all available means are used in “Sticky Hands,” and people oscillate between all/opposite poles against their better judgment with “Doxa.” All that remains is to sing the high song of solidarity and drive out the wolves with “Homohominilupus” while struggling within the paradox of capitalist culture described in “Major Light, and join in protest, delivered in “Tang Ping.”
L’inertie Polaire was recorded and mixed between November 2023 and February 2024 by Nikolaus Schwab at Chaosaudio Potsdam, mastered and cut by Stefan Betke at Scape Mastering Berlin, and completed with artwork by Matt Irwin (A Whisper In The Noise), and the song “Major Light” features guest appearances by Marco Henschke (guitar) and Judith Kuehne (spoken words).
L’inertie Polaire will be released May 31st on Black Vinyl LP with a bundled CD included via Exile On Mainstream, and digitally via THE ANTIKAROSHI, including a Dolby Atmos version of the album. Find physical preorders HERE and digital preorders HERE.
L’inertie Polaire Track Listing:
1. Gravity
2. Homohominilupus
3. Doxa
4. Lost In Compassion
5. Shiny White Teeth
6. Sticky Hands
7. Thousand Lakes
8. Authority
9. Major Light
10. Tang Ping
Watch for singles and videos from L’inertie Polaire to drop over the weeks ahead.
THE ANTIKAROSHI is booking live performances in support of L’inertie Polaire, including a set at Exile On Mainstream 25 Festival, the 25th anniversary of the diverse label who has released every album from the band. They play the second installment of the four-day/two-city bill Leipzig alongside Ostinato, A Whisper In The Noise, End Of Level Boss, Bulbul, Conny Ochs, Darsombra, Treedeon, Gavial, Gaffa Ghandi, and Crowskin, where the new album will be available early.
THE ANTIKAROSHI Live:
5/10-11/2024 Exile On Mainstream 25 @ UT Connewitz – Leipzig, DE [tickets]
“The Antikaroshi” is the name of an unwanted song of the members’ prior band, written, played, and recorded out of a pleading necessity to do so. Why? Because sometimes life or experiences can only be expressed through song, music, lyrics. It’s sort of, autotelic, in a self-sufficient, internally driven form.
THE ANTIKAROSHI was established in this same self-motivated manner free of external influence. Call it destiny. Call it aspiration. But don’t call it convention. The trio is the antithesis to convention. You cannot constrain or pigeon-hole what is happening here. On the other hand, they are part of and are inseparable from the environment that has created and influenced their music. Subgenre categorization is left for others to define. What happens in their music is an organic amalgamation – they furrow, trench, delve, and breathe through whatever calls to express their music. Classifications such as jazz, electronica, noise rock, post rock, post-hardcore, post-punk are all too constraining.
The roots of THE ANTIKAROSHI are heavily influenced mainly by D.C. punk and hardcore, while shooting forth rays into many genres by acting completely independent, both musically and politically. The result is music both surprising and overwhelming.
THE ANTIKAROSHI:
Christoph Hennig – vocals, guitar, electronics
Dirk Hoffman – vocals, bass, electronics
Andre Pautz – drums
https://theantikaroshi.de
https://antikaroshi.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/the_antikaroshi
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de
https://www.youtube.com/@exileonmainstream3639