Kepier Widow – The Duality of Man

‘The Duality of Man’ is the stunning debut of Alexander Roberts’ new alias, Kepier Widow. Formerly performing and releasing music under the name of Joseph Curwen, Roberts is well established within the world of drone and dark ambient, having crafted a near-overwhelming discography that has appeared on numerous labels, including Invisible City Records, Cruel Nature, Psychic Field Recordings, Still Heat Recordings, and Reverb Worship, to name but a few. Kepier Widow is something else entirely, as the artist moves away from such a drone-based approach to making music, and offers a wide and obscure range of sounds. Crushing lows shake the room I’m listening in, distorted synth tones unravel with aggression, and the twisted bell tones reminiscent of classic horror unsettle and intrigue. ‘The Duality of Man’ is released via Lugubrious Audio on cassette, the artist’s preferred format, and one that does justice to the material dubbed to the humble medium. Side A features ‘Peace Symbol’; seconds shy of half an hour, the long-playing track features a vast array of sounds and textures, both of exiting intensity and also moments of respite within progressions of tainted euphoria. Side B, ominously titled ‘Born To Kill’ introduces the listener to the sounds of vintage strings, and inhuman chorus, warms pads, and deeply submerged kicks. It is more subdued, minimal, and without the aggression of where side A left off, but retains suspense and a sense of caution as distorted and harsher sonic elements reappear. Kepier Widow makes a bold entrance with this debut release, and will no doubt continue to gain momentum with further releases already in waiting.

There is still a small number of physical cassettes of ‘The Duality of Man’ available via Lugubrious Audio.