The keen reader might remember American rocker Kwolek from an article we published about one of his previous records, ‘Cemetery Days’. In it, we describe the project as “pursuing his own artistic journey, ignoring viral trends and proven formulas” – something that’s truly relevant in the industry’s contemporary landscape. Well, we stand by our words, with ‘Ronnie Stole This Riff / Kim Is Desperate’ confirming it all once again.
Kwolek’s latest single, the record seems to shuffle the sonic picture a fair bit, leaving behind spacious tones and ethereal textures in favour of dryer guitars and an improved rock flair. Safe to say, it is still incredibly eclectic, with the addition of electronic elements that considerably widen the pool of influences. Reeking of QOTSA, ‘Ronnie Stole This Riff / Kim Is Desperate’ particularly flourishes among its crunchy distortions, placing Kwolek in alternative territories – at least more than usual.
As the title might suggest, the record is two songs in one. As Kwolek explains: “The first is about the love of making music and the second is about discovering the song that saves your life. Both songs crash together in the end in a glorious mash of a bunch of “waves” (new wave, no wave, synth wave…)”.
Recommended! Discover ‘Ronnie Stole This Riff / Kim Is Desperate’ on Spotify:
