Formerly, they say, a hiphop outfit, Tones Drones… is supposedly a new direction. Sort of. Split into two ‘sides’, this second album from the Lanarkshire one-man-crew is a watershed we’re told. From the press release we’re informed that Jesus and Mary Chain and World Domination Enterprises are among the influences of side 2, as well as the more conventional guidance of Public Enemy. So side one, you’d imagine, a sort of farewell to hiphop. And they give it a good send-off, Like their debut it’s not hip or trip hop but more a collection of dark electronic experiments with infectious beats and very non-American-style lyrics and delivery. DJ Shadow will be a heavy influence here and that’s no faint praise. Rap comes courtesy of the mainman of Edinburgh act Eaters, and in ‘Street By Street’ it’s a homage to all his favourite rap acts and influencers.
‘Side two’ (it’s a CD!) is then a bit of a puzzle, given the build-up in the PR spiel. Rather than a mass of feedback-ridden beats, there’s… well, very few beats at all, and precious little rap either, at least by comparison. More a collection of sonic experiments, it’s a filmic collection of pieces, with nods to the likes of (early) Cabaret Voltaire, and, actually listed as an influence, AR Kane. The Mary Chain effect turns out to be, we’re advised, a loop of a live bootleg, but quite where this is buried on ‘Whisky Fist’ is unclear. All very well, and what we have is two very decent sides to K.A.L. However, I suspect that older fans from the hiphop era will, in the nicest possible way, be saying, “don’t give up the day job”.
