Salem are the idiot-savants of the music industry. Inarticulate and at times rendered incomprehensible in detached opiate fuelled interviews it's joyfully suprising when one contrasts their muddled public appearances (their apathetic debut live appearance at SXSW has since gained much infamy) to their actual musical output. A unique blend of shoegaze, hip-hop, and whatever wedge of electronic or alternative music they have access to, 'King Night' might not make for a particularly pleasant listen, but it does make an interesting one.
Opening with twisted distorted guitar samples before descending into an ethereal maelstrom of choirs, lo-fi synths and choppy 808 style snares, Salem introduce themselves as bedroom architects of noise with 'King Night', pouring their narcotic madness into the bass heavy eeriness that is the introductory title track. Following with heavily processed industrial beats, uncanny samples and synths that are Casper like in their spooky friendliness the listener is still unsure what to make of the Chicago 'witch house' group, but akin to the pharmaceutical experiences of the band itself, one's only option is to enjoy the ride. 'Frost' is the first moment of (relative) respite on the LP, with warm female vocals nestled amongst the layers of Southern hip-hop beats and gothic atmospherics.
The first track with discernible lyrics (mostly mediated via rap) 'Sick's gangsta rhythms and haunting refrains make it the closest this long player has to a club-friendly track, granted its listeners aren't too strung out or hipster to actually dance to it. Whilst touching upon similar musical themes; the rattling crunk percussion, the noisy lo-fi production, the dark imagery the music evokes, this album is actually joyfully lacking in filler. Whether displaying purely instrumental tracks, further continuing rap themes or even going more fully shoegaze with tracks such as album closer 'Killer', 'King Night' in general is an underground masterpiece, albeit an unintentional one. Whilst some may find the noisy mash of seemingly incompatible genres chaotic, there's an accidental beauty to this 2010 release amidst the darkness and grungy pretense.
