Chris DeLine

I Miss the Future, the full-length debut from New Haven’s MYTY KONKEROR, offers an interesting blend of sounds that loosely fall under the wide-reaching blanket of guitar-based rock. The group’s been called “a thoroughly dirty rock band” (Redefine Mag) that creates “a psychedelic slab of droney, hypnotic rock” (Magnet), but Sonic Masala‘s conclusion might best categorize the band however, noting “above all” that MYTY KONKEROR are “LOUD.” One of the finer examples of the band’s penchant for amplification is the initially unassuming instrumental track “Cell Division.” For the better part of five minutes the song winds its way through drawn out, embellished chords before awakening out of an ear shattering riff into a blended percussion piece which carries the track out. “Loud”? You betcha. In this edition of Influenza, drummer Michael Kiefer roles through the history behind the track, explaining that “A busted water pipe, visions of Bali and Ron Wood all played a role in the genesis of this song.” I Miss the Future will be re-released on a limited edition 140g white vinyl March 12, but in the meantime the album can be purchased from either MYTY KONKEROR’s Bandcamp page or Twin Lakes Records.

On “Cell Division”:

[Michael] Steubs missed band rehearsal the day we wrote it due to a busted water pipe that threatened to flood one of the rooms in his house. This left Jon [Schlesinger] and me to rehearse without him. Still learning to master his new loop pedal, Jon laid down a simple two-chord progression. Tension, release. I hopped behind the kit and tapped out some laid back motorik beats to carry it along. Jon kept adding different snaking loop lines and within minutes I was entranced. We quickly set up shop to capture the moment and hit record.

As we continued exploring this new soundspace as a trio, Jon came up with this lick that reminded us of Ron Wood’s playing. It inspired Steubs to put down his guitar and start whacking away at the mini-gamelan, or gangsa, he had picked up in Bali. I loved this new dimension, the transformation.

Tension. Release. Cell division. Life.

[This post was first published by Culture Bully.]