The term genre-hopping is one of those phrases which seems to have become a bit of a buzzword, a load of overused hyperbolics, if you ask me, like awesome or haunted or catchy, killer, banging or emotional. But, KermesZ a l’Est truly earn such an accolade, or perhaps they have gone a stage further and have merely eradicated labels, genres, and musical pigeon-holes altogether. How else could they create the ground zero, level playing field they need to make music as mad and glorious as that found on Octobilia?
It’s got the lot, swaggering punkish energy and puckish attitude, intoxicating East European folk traditions, dance trace, occidental eclecticism and electronica, oriental mystique, euphoric crescendos and dark musical corners, mathy post-rock, and primitive Baroque ‘n’ roll urges. In short, imagine a backstage jam in the artist’s area at WOMAD where no one is turned away, no matter what music they make.
Now speed it up. Times the strangeness by ten, and add a dog on occasional vocals!