"...Kinn’s rich palette of different tones and worldly musical influences ensure listeners stay on their toes.”
-THE WIRE

" once I sat down and really listened to it, I feel in love."
-Relative Theory

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KINN - KARLSHORTS CD
Autre Directions (FR)

Another astonishing at AudioDregs, and more tempting innovation first of all: the structure delivers the second opus German trio Kinn, behind which one finds F.S.Blumm (the author of piécettes short and tempting at Staubgold, Morr Music, AudioDregs… is with the guitar), Marcel Türkowsky (responsible for a ep of ambient bucolic on the netlabel Serein, here with low) and Jan Thoben (who in particular played in Gaston, and who holds the battery in Kinn).

And this Kinn trio to compose a regularly repetitive and geometrical post-rock'n'roll, added with some recorded noises and sounds Ci and there, as well as few electronic effects. Their creations have reasons which undulate and vary constantly: light and fugacious, such is their music, and it regularly leaves the place with the guitar and some small sounds. In these gracious moments of minimalism, one finds oneself directly with the F.S.Blumm box. For the remainder, one quickly lets oneself absorb by these rigid loops which can digress and hold beautiful surprises.

KINN - KARLSHORTS CD
Copper Press (US)

Could a band from Berlin be influenced by two bands from the Midwest? As quintessentially insular that question may sound, one can’t help to ask that question. Has Kinn ever heard The Six Parts Seven, Dianogah, or Pele? Or has Kinn shaped their sound with zero knowledge of any of those bands? Even though outfits from the states touring overseas is commonplace, the query of feels improbable. Either way, it really doesn’t matter as Kinn’s sophomore release on Audio Dreg Records contains nearly fifty minutes of soothing and mellow instrumentals. As with Dianogah, bass work plays a very vital role in the success of Karlshorst. It is Marcel Türkowsky’s top notch noodling that churns Kinn through “Leuchtende,” and “Lunte.” While those two tracks are rather memorable, it’s total group effort via Frank Schültge Blumm (guitar) and Jan Thoben (drums) that makes Karlshorst a solid and enjoyable disc. Direct your ears to “Libereso,” “Lakara,” and the excellent “Limone” for Karlshorst’s other keepers. While not earth shattering or monumental, Kinn have clearly delivered the goods on this disc. – David Lichius (2006, The Daily Copper)

KINN - KARLSHORTS CD
Relative Theory (US)

Kinn are an instrumental 3 piece from Berlin, consisting of Frank Schültge Blumm, Jan Thoben and Marcel Türkowsky (Guitar, Drums and Bass respectively). To
my knowledge this is their third album, and first to be released to in States.

Musically Kinn follows a relatively similar framework from song to song. Mathy Guitar lines, layer on top of each other, weaving in and out of each other’s way, interacting/playing-off Tortoise-esque bass lines, that fit tightly over syncopated drumming. Each instrument at hand has a highly rhythmic quality to it. Employing various different accentuations, in each song. Often all the instruments are playing against each other, producing a poly-rhythmic feel. Even though they are using this effect, of not playing in time with each, the result is not dissonant or discordant. The end sound is actually very mellow and melancholy. The Sedative grooves (I hate that word but couldn’t think of another) float around the room, and make you want sigh. The overall atmosphere reminds me a lot of Brian Eno’s ambient works (track 5, Zünder, particularly gives off this vibe). However, where Mr. Eno’s songs usually dance around the same melody and idea for the most of the song, the songs on Karlshorst almost always build up into something new, sometimes slow adding more instrumentation, increasing the poly-rhythmic feel, other times building up until the guitar is drenched with distortion, and single melody lines give way to waves of drone and chunky chords.

Kinn does not just stick to Guitar, Drums and Bass the whole album though; many of the songs are augmented with other instruments. An occasional slow banjo roll colors the mix (track one Libereso), what sounds like Marimbas are quietly struck in countermelody (Track 4 Lunte), and a processed piano opens the album. When each of these instruments are present in the song, they are not the center of attention, they merely add extra flavoring to each track. Which is pretty much how the whole album works. No one instrument ever has the lead, they all work together, and create an feeling of 10 melodies going on at once. They also employ electronics to help accent the mood, adding eerie and calming ambience to the mix. Often time’s non-musical sounds are added to the mix, Field Recordings of the sound seagulls at ocean (Track 8 Lakara) and the sound of water being waded through in (track 3 Laumer) Or the sound of conversation (Track 1, Libereso), all change the mood of each piece, and give the album a post rock feel.
Any fans of the Chicago sound of Tortoise, Gastr Del Sol, etc. take notice. When I first heard this album, I passed if off as mellow boring-ness. But, once I sat down and really listened to it, I feel in love.

KINN - KARLSHORTS CD
Losing Today (IT)

Tre musicisti di Berlino, tre veterani del postrock, si incontrano per dar vita a 45 minuti di sperimentazione tra rock, jazz ed elettronica. I suoni degli strumenti a corda suonati da Frank Schultge Blumm fanno venire in mente i dischi dei Gastr Del Sol e anche gli ultimi di John Fahey. Ma il modo in cui basso e batteria si muovono liberi in strutture liquide e definite allo stesso tempo, dosando magistralmente l’urgenza del rock e l’armonia del jazz, rimanda ai caposcuola This Heat e ai grandi Tortoise. Da qui le ripetizioni e gli incastri geometrici di “Leuchtende” e anche le atmosfere rarefatte ai confini dell’ambient di “Laumer”. I dieci minuti abbondanti di “Lunte” servono da cartina tornasole dell’arte dei Finn: dentro c’e’ di tutto, dalla sperimentazione con fields recordings ai passaggi rock, dalle poliritmie jazz ai pianissimo dell’ambient.
ROBERTO MANDOLINI

Kinn - Kinn CD (Tete-a-Tete)
The Wire (UK)

“German guitarist Frank Schültge Blumm and bassist Marcel Türkowsky’s Kinn project follows the styles of such artists as John Fahey, Gastr Del Sol, Lennie Tristano and This Heat, with a hint of Steve Reich and Erik Satie’s looping minimalism thrown in for good measure. Kinn is a delight that recent converts of Steffen Basho-Junghans and the rest of the recent experimental guitar solo scene will find irresistible. Boosted by Türkowsky’s simple and expressive bass work, discreetly tempered with electronic effects, Blumm’s technique of allowing space to become an integral part of his playing style gives the music room to breathe and seep into the atmosphere. Rather than ending up as just another Ambient exercise, however, Kinn’s rich palette of different tones and worldly musical influences ensure listeners stay on their toes.”
Reviewed by Edwin Pouncey / Avant Rock / THE WIRE 232