Album Details

• Artist: Kk Null
• Album: Oxygen Flash
• Label: Southern
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2009-08-27

What is this, like Null's thousandth release? The noise legend seems to have no end to ideas, having recently probed ambient, good ol' shredding noise, and electronica in recent discs. The nine untitled tracks on "Oxygen Flash" are an odd mix of all those, with a few new grooves tossed in.

Well, new in the sense of KK Null's attention to them. The second track sounds like a buzzy, whistling old arcade game, while the third track's  low hum and repetitive pulse reminds one of a Hammer horror film soundtrack. The frantic  fourth track is all seizure-inducing techno. Fans of the seminal animated punk classic "Jac-Mac and Rad Boy Go!" will find similar vibes here. The sixth and seventh tracks are almost non-existent, a pulse droning in a vacuum with icy determination. But there is no heartbeat.

KK Null refuses to ask for a pass on his past brilliance. "Oxygen Flash" finds him exploring new sounds, and expanding on favorite sounds and approaches to see if something new can be mined. While not as challenging as some other noise artists, Null still has vision and balls, and the whimsy that keeps each from becoming too overbearing. This may not be the best record to start with if you have always been intrigued by the crazy legends about KK Null and his various incarnations. But this might be one of his more accessible releases, so those looking for a way to ease into his more intimidating work could check it out.

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