KMRU: imperceptible , perceptible

Thursday, November 18th at 8pm ET, ISSUE is pleased to stream new work from Nairobi-born, Berlin-based sound artist KMRU. Known for entwining his compositions with field recordings from his native Kenya and the surrounding countries of East Africa, KMRU produces work uniquely positioned between the cultures of ambient and African musics—all at once intensely personal and powerfully intuitive. Having released albums on Editions Mego, Optimal, Dagoretti, and Seil all in the past year, KMRU has had a prolific output of expressive environmental ambiences. He captures sonic snapshots with his handheld recorder and then collages the pieces into lengthy drones where real-world reference points dissolve.

For this streamed commission, KMRU presents imperceptible , perceptible. Constructing remembered sonic thoughts of decayed time, the piece explores lived experiences of sound, gradually returning us, we, them to the present or past. Exploring field recordings, noise and drone, imperceptible , perceptible probes to impetus the knowing. Subtle durational changes of sounds, and moving images create phantasms as reflection of the present.
.
Currently studying sonic arts in Berlin, Joseph Kamaru aka KMRU is a Nairobi-born, Berlin-based sound artist whose work is grounded on the discourse of field recording, noise, and improvisation. His work posits expanded listening cultures of sonic thoughts and sound practices, a proposition to consider and reflect on auditory cultures beyond the norms, an awareness of surroundings through creative compositions and installations. His last three albums, 2020's "Peel", "Opaquer" and "Jar" received high praise from Resident Advisor, DJ Mag, NPR, and Bandcamp, KMRU is part of SHAPE platform roaster of artists for 2021. His works have been presented in NyegeNyege Festival (UG), CTM Festival (DE), GAMMA (RU), and Mutek Montreal and Barcelona among others.