Kinski

Seattle group Kinski make fuzzy, riff-heavy post-rock with stoner tendencies and unpredictable song structures. Since forming in the late '90s with a layered, experimental noise-rock sound, they have toured internationally and put out multiple albums with Pacific Northwest indie institutions Sub Pop and Kill Rock Stars. Kinski keep spontaneity and energy at the core of their output, even more than 25 years into their run, continuing to explore the outer reaches of guitar rock on albums like 2025's Stumbledown Terrace. Kinski formed in 1998 when guitarist Chris Martin and bassist Lucy Atkinson were sitting in a Seattle pub debating the merits of analog vs. digital recording. They were interrupted by the bartender, drummer Dave Weeks, who said, definitively, that analog was superior, and the three of them instantly decided to start a band. Kinski began playing live in 1998. By the summer of 1999, the trio had released their first record, Space Launch for Frenchie. With six songs clocking in at 45 minutes, it inevitably sparked some debate of its own: EP or LP? Later that year, the band explored newer textures in their live set, and friend Matthew Reid Schwartz (guitar, keyboards) was added to the lineup. Kinski toured with Mainliner (Japan), Hovercraft, and Silkworm. In 2001, their follow-up, Be Gentle with the Warm Turtle, arrived. Two years later, the group returned with their Sub Pop debut, Airs Above Your Station; by this time, Barrett Wilke had taken over as drummer from Dave Weeks. A split release with Acid Mothers Temple was also issued in 2003. A West Coast tour supporting Mission of Burma coincided with Kinski's fourth album, Don't Climb on and Take the Holy Water, in spring 2004. Alpine Static followed in 2005. Released in 2007, Down Below It's Chaos added a '70s hard rock vibe and vocals to their intense drones. Following a string of collaborative releases, including a split 7" with Bardo Pond, sixth album Cosy Moments arrived on Kill Rock Stars in 2013, ending a relatively dormant five-year stretch between albums. Just two years later, Kinski were back with a new LP, titled 7 (Or 8). In 2018, the band celebrated their 20th anniversary with a pair of releases. In October of that year, they reissued their 2001 record Be Gentle with the Warm Turtle on vinyl and put out a brand-new record. Accustomed to Your Face was produced and recorded by Phil Manley (Trans Am), who also worked on 7 (Or 8). For their next full-length, the band reverted to their original trio formation, but Atkinson, Martin, and Wilke expanded on their usual roles by adding organ and vibraphone parts, and the album also included synth and experimental sound touches from the record's producer, Tim Green. The resultant album, Stumbledown Terrace, was released in March 2025 on Kinski's new label, Comedy Minus One. ~ Eric J. Iannelli, Rovi