Al Karpenter expands on their Post-Genre Punk approach reaching a new level of maturity. In fact, we can say that “Greatest Heads” is Al Karpenter’s “Remain in Light” from Talking Heads in the sense that it is also their fourth record, heavily based on production and is influenced by Afrobeat in distorted ways.

This record contains elaborated liner notes by Eoin Anderson and features very special guests: “ “ [sic] Goldie, Lisa Rosendahl, and Mikel Xedh — a deeply important musician from the Basque Country who collaborated with Al for over a decade and who recently passed away. This record is dedicated to him.

If Adorno wrote “To Write Poetry after Auschwitz is Barbaric” in 1949, Al attempts to answer the difficult question today; what kind of music can be done in the face of a genocide? Al Karpenter invites Brigitte Fontaine, Brecht & Artaud to improvise a protest song in a dark cellar in Berlin shouting against the current silencing in Germany of people who are pro-Palestine

The audience gets sucked by the layers of histories while hearing ethereal ethnic sounds, music from Saturn, beat poetry, spectralism, tones reminiscent of Robert Ashley, infinite melancholy and lamentations with echoes of 70s free jazz re-imagined as revolutionary potentials for a future to come. Álvaro Matilla, Marta Sainz, Enrique Zaccagnini & Mattin play with restrained intensity mixing electronics, noise, abstract beats and garage rock with a conceptual approach and desperate anger; African Head Charge meets Akauzazte.

A deeply emotional conglomerate of a thousandmusics, claiming a profound truth; we are all karpenters of life. Or as Jérôme Noetinger said after seeing the band live at the Ears We Are Festival in Biel/Bienne this year: “All Karpenters = all Joseph = all father of God = all God = no more God then. Freedom in the expression of one chord.”
A giant leap.

“There's a dub housing / new picnic time era Pere Ubu vibe (gone wrong) all over that I absolutely adore.” Hicham Chadly from Nashazphone Records

AL KARPENTER:
Álvaro Matilla: Voice, Guitar, Keyboards & Electronics, Zither
Marta Sainz: Voice, Bass & Guitar
Enrique Zaccagnini: Voice, Percussions, Korg MS20 & Daxophone
Mattin: Voice, Double Bass, Computer, Guitar, Drums, Harmonium & Layout
Design

Special Guests:
Mikel Xedh (Electronics A2 & Keyboards A5)
Lisa Rosendahl (Vocals B4 & B5)
" " [sic] Tim Goldie (vocals B3)

Recorded and mixed from April to October 2024 at Abject Musik Studio,
Berlin
Artwork made with stills by a film from James Richards

Liner notes by Eoin Anderson
Mastered by Rashad Becker
Produced by Mattin
Dedicated to Mikel Xedh

Anti-Copyright

Thank You: Dali de Saint Paul, Miguel Prado, Triple Negative, Sunik Kim, Dominic Coles, CIA Debutante, Megan Woof, Supernormal Fest, Cafe Oto, Cave 12, Instants Chavires, Ear We Are Festival, Le Non_Jazz, VOMIR, Arkaoda, Odradek, Rock Beer The New, Wurlitzer Ballroom, The Space of PRSC, Sonic Protest Festival, Espora, Olivier Bringer, ever/never, Bruit Direct Disques, Munster, Crystal Mine, hicham Chadly, Shannon Dougherty, Los Van Van, prodbyd3nis, Masahiko Togashi, Jerome Noetinger, and James Tenney.