by Joseph Mastel
Each year, it’s always fun to reflect on which music was the “best of the best,” which shattered your expectations, and which had the biggest personal impact. This year, that was the case for Kassie Krut’s self-titled debut EP, as it checks all three boxes. It is a pitch-perfect debut, and not many releases from 2024 come close to matching it. Kassie Krut is a band that you want to keep on your radar, as it is safe to assume that they will continue to deliver highly memorable and unique material for years to come.
Ex-Palm members Kasra Kurt and Eve Alpert are joined by Matt Anderegg (Mothers, Body Meat) to make up Kassie Krut. The trio trade Palm’s electrifyingly unorthodox guitar riffs for intense beat drops and surreal electronics. However, Kassie Krut riveting maximalism maintains Palm’s adventurous unpredictability, weird experimentation, and captivating instrumentation. The industrial electronic anthem “Reckless” is a prime example. Propelled by Alpert’s infectiously hypnotic vocals, sing-along lyrics, a punky and witty attitude, and an intoxicating drum rhythm, “Reckless” is a dazzling spectacle of a song. It’s one of the best from 2024, as it is truly extraordinary and highly original stuff. Another example is the wacky but incredibly mesmerizing “Racing Man.” Alpert’s immaculate vocals meld with the frantically noisy instrumentation, and avant-garde song structure.
From top to bottom, this record goes insanely hard. There is not a single dud on this EP. The trance-like rhythms and beat drops in “Hooh Beat” make a dynamite combination, and deserves to be blasted as loud as possible. Meanwhile, the rough and heavy instrumentation, gritty atmosphere, and Alpert’s soothing vocals in “Blood” blend perfectly. On the other hand, the out-of-control electronics and wild drumming of “United” is wickedly entertaining. Even the instrumental track “Espresso” is excellent, combining interesting textures and a gorgeous cinematic soundscape.
Overall, Kassie Krut’s self-titled debut EP is truly exhilarating. At a runtime of under twenty minutes, this EP goes by fast, but it has such a good replay value that you can listen to it again and again.
