The Kiss That Took A Trip dropped a new album on June 6. It’s called Punk Cathedral. M.D. Trello, who hails from Madrid, Spain, is the creator and only member of The Kiss That Took A Trip (TKTTAT). Trello’s musical goal is:
“To build a consistent and lasting music catalog that can speak to people fed up with quick consumption music and looking for high replay value and a more immersive and personal experience.”
Stylistically, TKTTAT meshes influences from ambient music, alt rock, post-rock, instrumental, orchestral pop and what most listeners would define as electronic music, although TKTTAT passionately rejects the latter designation. TKTTAT emphasizes melody, mood and tone rather than the purely conventional format associated with music intended for radio airplay.
Punk Cathedral contains fourteen tracks. The first track is called “Ambient Punk,” a progressive post-rock number that emanates a thick ambient influence, along with a slightly psychedelic essence. The flowing melody rides the guitars and the synth, which provide stellar harmonic accentuation. “Kill The Pole Dancer” starts off with reverberating guitars and a moderate but spiffy beat. A cosmic progressive melody sparkles with the semblance of deep space, floating on the layered guitar and synth.
“Stabbing Porcelain” has a quasi-funky, industrial feel to it, like the inner workings of a mammoth factory set in a dark, humid world. The melody is thumping, yet hyper-civilized and inscrutable. I liked this tune a lot. “Dry Swallowed Pill” features pop-sounding production, along with sinuous guitars and vocals that exude a rasping, whispery quality. The melody rides on the fluid guitars, while instrumental harmonies add a rolling feel.
“Crapola” starts off with vocals and a strumming guitar, followed by a streaming, progressive melody with a delicate piano and nice harmonics. Put simply, “Crapola” is a pretty song with depth. “Guitar Pick Chew” sets a steady groove, with a progressive, almost experimental melody that grows in intensity, and then falls back into lighter, more mechanical melody. There’s a surging guitar solo that takes on a discordant element near the end.
“Glorious Racket” begins with weird sound effects, like alien plants growing, and then segues into a Pink Floyd-esque melody that pours forth easily, casually. Nonchalant vocals float over the melody, as if an afterthought. This tune is one of my favorites. “Cook, Landis & Griffin” exhibits a progressive feel, with a blithe melody that ripples with a buoyant attitude. When the filtered guitar kicks in, the tune increases in tempo and frivolity.
“Love + Algebra” conveys an industrial-fun house feel, as the organ and synth create a contrasting melody that sounds like something from a campy horror flick. “Grounded” begins with static, then transitions into a gray, mesmerizing melody that conveys a hint of menace. This piece definitely fits into a re-make of Frankenstein, where the good doctor brings the monster to life in his laboratory. “Faulty Logic Can Cost Lives” carries a new wave sensibility, along with a progressive rock influence, like something The Alan Parsons Project might have done when fiddling around. A heavy guitar enters later in the tune, adding a hard rock feel that really works well. This is another favorite. “Braggadocio” is a smooth progressive-lite tune that trips along a dainty melody. Subdued vocals and guitar harmonics complement the melody with a quasi-Tarantino essence. “Yardmother” is an austerely ascetic ambient tune, with buzzing harmonies, a charming piano and layered guitars. The tune is a little dark, but not morbidly so, which makes it appealing.
“Queen of The Night Shift” is the most conventional song on the album, with an orchestral melody that approaches the boundaries of sensuality without crossing the line. The vocals carry a country western, twangy influence.
Punk Cathedral is random and at times contradictory in its sonic elements, but it is oh-so-good. It goes beyond experimental and enters the realm of tentative new wave progressive post-rock. It’s excellent music and M.D. Trello is to be congratulated on his creativity and innovation. I like Punk Cathedral a lot.
Find out more about The Kiss That Took A Trip here.
Listen to Punk Cathedral and download it here.