Blending elements of electro, IDM and new wave, Kitbuilders‘ forthcoming new album, Stupid Games, is their first long player since 2019, but arguably their most all-encompassing – bringing together brand-new tracks with specially edited and remastered material recorded over more than two decades.
Landing on 14 February on EC Underground, the 11-track album combines tracks from the duo’s archive with new and previously-unreleased recordings. It’s set to be released digitally and via CD, which will come with a limited edition 7″ vinyl containing two special tracks.
Comprised of singer Ripley and keyboardist Benway – the latter a former member of new wave band Les Immer Essen – Kitbuilders was formed in 1997, and the pair have released on labels such as Electrecord, World Electric, Adult’s Ersatz Audio, Television, DMX Krew’s Breakin’ Records, Vertical, Art Of Perception, and Play It Again Sam.
Drawing sonic inspiration from the likes of Suicide and Chris & Cosey, Kitbuilders’ work has earned support over the years from the likes of Dave Clarke, Laurent Garnier, DJ Hell, Larry Tee, John Peel, and Andrew Weatherall.
Their 2011 album You Trashed My Mind was re-released two years later as You Trashed My Tracks, a remix album that saw artists such as Terrence Dixon, Bolz Bolz, Bob Humid, Ascii Disko, Falko Brocksieper, Keith Tenniswood, and Salz on rework duties, while 2019’s Reality featured their cover (originally released in 2002) of Zager & Evans’ In The Year 2525. In 2020, Kitbuilders they contributed to the Carebots compilation on Bass Agenda Recordings.
Elsewhere, they’ve previously appeared at festivals such as Roskilde, Sónar, Arvika, Benicassim, Fusion, Eurosonic, and Dedbeat Weekender, and appeared at clubs such as Tresor, Fabric, Distillery, and The Egg over the years.
The new album showcases the unrelenting electro that the duo have become synonymous with. Stand-out tracks for 909originals include Tenderness, the melodic electroclash track that opens the album; the unsettling rhythms of Dark Angels; the scything breakbeats of No Good (Version X); the electronic dub stylings of Get Your Glow; the quickfire beats of Don’t Talk To Me; and the bubbling rave vibes of All About (Uqbar Mix).
It’s an album steeped in electronic energy, enveloping the listener in shimmering synths and uncompromising rhythms.
Artwork for the release was created by David H. Sekulla, also known as Yeti Popstar, and was originally produced for the Acid City event in Brussels in 2024.
Kitbuilders – Stupid Games is released on 14 February on EC Underground.
Tracklist
1 – Tenderness
2 – Dark Angels
3 – No Good (Version X)
4 – Slow Device
5 – Follow Me (Concrete Version)
6 –Get Your Glow
7 – Poison Me
8 – Break Through
9 – Don´t Talk To Me
10 – Stupid Games
11 – All About (Uqbar Mix)
12 – Bonus (Digital Bandcamp + CD only) : Tenderness (Bausatz Beats RMX)
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