K4LT is waiting for you in This Room (Reprise) on his claustrophobic and haunting new single — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
After nearly a year away, the Germain indie electronica and post-punk mashup artist makes his long-overdue return with a new work that continues to curate his vintage darkwave vibes, but with a much faster tempo and renewed energy.
Hailing from Berlin, K4LT (from the German word for cold) is not shy about naming his influences. His love for vintage synths comes from artists like Mogwai, Low, and Washed Out. For This Room (Reprise), he even speaks in detail about which bits were inspired by which artist: “The song is a reference to This Room by The Notwist and includes a few other references, like the ‘Swim and sleep like me’ (lyric) which references to Swim And Sleep from Unknown Mortal Orchestra and also the armour pads line referring to Paper Boats from Nada Surf.”
But that’s not all there is to it. With his favourite tool — the Suzuki Omnichord, a device popular in the ’80s — K4LT is able to create a sound all his own. He has also largely turned away from the bigger rock sounds of his first EP, 2021’s Endgame. With his latest singles LCPD and especially This Room, he’s embraced his electronica sound even more, maximizing the digital elements and minimizing his guitar. Meanwhile, his lyrics remain as observational as ever, mirroring his dystopian, darkwave vibe with words about the loss of connection in the age of the doomscroll.
“The song is about the experience of more and more of your friends (and probably yourself too a bit) turn into modern-day hermits, giving up on parts of life like relationships or having fun in life at all,” he says. “Just trying to make it without giving any efforts into what would make them truly happy.” But ultimately, the track is about not accepting this defeat and fighting to get up, be motivated and “interfere.”
Never one to shy away from touchy subjects, K4LT uses the tone and pace of the music in This Room (Reprise) to drive home the feeling of being on a hamster wheel with technology — and the paralysis that can come with it. Armied with his eerie Omnichord and a strong post-punk sensibility, K4LT is able to make the listeners really trapped in This Room.
Check out This Room (Reprise) above, hear more from K4LT below, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
