Over the years Sharron Kraus’ musical career has pulled her in many directions and seen her collaborate with artists, poets, writers and researchers, creating soundtracks, podcasts, musical accompaniments and responses. She is an intuitive improviser, a compelling performer and a weaver of musical spells.
The spine supporting this body of work is songwriting, though, and it is to this most natural combination of words and music that she always returns. If prose writing is a tool for analysis and working out what we think, because of the emotional dimension music introduces, songwriting is a tool for working out how we feel.
KIN, her newest album, is a collection of songs written during and partly in response to the pandemic and the relative isolation it plunged us into. Kraus dives into deep explorations of themes of kinship with other humans as well as the natural world, and of what happens when those kinship bonds are severed or abused. Sonically the album is on a continuum with her previous solo album, Joy’s Reflection is Sorrow, with its layered synths and recorders, and sits somewhere in the space between Jane Weaver’s electronica and the psych/folk of bands like The Left Outsides, Modern Studies.
PRESS
‘an album layered with memories of landscape and memories of sound. It is a completely immersive experience and a fine achievement.’ – The Quietus
‘an album of sensual spellcraft’ – Caught by the River
‘a truly unique sound located somewhere between Cream’s “Pressed Rat & Warthog” and what The Left Outsides might sound like if they jammed with a gamelan. Floating freaky fun of the highest order.’ – The Wire
‘There are many factors that make Joy’s Reflection Is Sorrow a wonderful album. The musicianship is great, Kraus’s voice has found a new confidence and the rolled-back arrangements and production allow the songs room to breathe and speak. But perhaps the most important thing is the sense of a lasting optimism that goes beyond the span of a human life, that perhaps even defines the nature of human life. Kraus may not be able to answer those big questions – maybe they are unanswerable – but she has found the best possible way to ask them.’ – Folk Radio UK
‘These detailed, poignant tales combine to paint a portrait of Kraus as a sort of mentor, a survivor delivering her perils and lessons with a precise pen.’ – Pitchfork
‘an LP for the ages; an oddly comforting avant-garde masterpiece … Magic to think, breathe and dream more.’ – Concrete Islands
supported by 9 fans who also own “The Locked Garden”
This album is one ridiculously massive inundation of relentless, rampaging, punkish, riff-packed psychedelic noise. An acquired taste that tortures your taste buds until its flavour becomes delicious. muschiosauro
Juxtaposing lo-fi warmth with library music spaciousness, CV Vision's "In Time" teaches a lesson in transformative psych. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 14, 2021
supported by 9 fans who also own “The Locked Garden”
A reasonably old fan of the AMT lot, have listened to a lot of their albums over the years and seen them 2-3 times live. One of the greatest psychedelic bands I have had the pleasure to see live and meet too!
Anyway about this album, I love the remakings of dark star blues and blue velvet blues, the vocals work so well! IF you are into these guys highly recommend Ozric Tentacles as Ed's playing is on par with Makoto's (both very psychedelic). One of the best in the AMT catalogue in my opinion! atmosphere012