Speaking of her fourth album, Sardinia-based Dalila Kayros said “For me, KHTHONIE is a free Earth. Free of boundaries, free of marriage, free of human external rules”. This gives perhaps a little hint of what to expect from the record, certainly the ‘no rules’ part; however, if anything, the originality is understated by Kayros in that sentence.
The first time I encountered this remarkable album was during an early morning walk. I had somewhat misjudged the conditions and set out into a dark, foggy, icy morning. I pressed play and somehow the album became the perfect soundtrack; full of mystery and with an unnerving quality. ‘Raw’ is a word that will potentially be used in reviews to describe the sound, but that might be to do it a disservice – this is a brilliantly produced piece of work that has plenty going on in those dark, foggy corners to keep the attention. It’s hard to draw comparisons with many other artists, but perhaps Björk’s more recent work might be a relatable touchpoint to give an idea of the feel, if not the vocals.
KHTHONIE was created with collaborator Danilo Casti, to such an extent that Dalila Kayros is described as a duo in publicity for the album, which is apparently inspired by chthonian deities of Greek mythology, who ruled the underworld before the formation of the Earth. Of the two singles/tracks released prior to the album, ‘Mitza’ is the most accessible, probably the gentlest vocal on the record, but still packed with an ominous quality and a lot of drama. The other single, ‘Sakromanade’ gives would-be listeners fair warning with its nightmarish backing vocals and foreboding atmosphere.
‘Leviatan’ has a synth-bass line that might remove your fillings and an unsettling stuttering rhythm, while ‘Lamia’ doesn’t go any easier, utilising Kayros’ more throaty, earthy vocals that she has applied to this most recent work. Kayros says “The voice doesn’t have to be beautiful in a pleasurable way…but it must express the feeling of what is going on in our surroundings, in this apocalyptic time.” And that statement really does allow some understanding of this intriguing album, it sounds as if Kayros has a very singular artistic vision and has been brave enough to run with it, even if the results aren’t ’commercial’ or reaching for any kind of acceptance – it sounds like a record that she had to make.
KHTHONIE really is an extraordinary listen, it’s like nothing else you will hear in 2025 or probably ever; it packs a real punch and reveals new details on each listen. It deserves to be listened to with full attention as the production is really something. If you are planning a dark, icy, foggy morning walk anytime soon, I have just the thing…
KHTHONIE is released on Subsound Records on 4th April 2025.
