GPKISM is a darkwave industrial duo formed in 2007 by an Australian musician going by the name of Gotheque Prince Ken and, later on, former BLOOD guitarist and mastermind Kiwamu. Recently the duo added the former Blam Honey member Ryonai to provide support at live shows.
Their style is decidedly dance oriented, through extremely dark and gothic. While Kiwamu does use his guitar skills to add to the mix, they are first and foremost a darkwave/electro/industrial outfit. Perhaps if the Pet Shop Boys collided headlong into a Lords of Acid tour bus, then skidded, ablaze, into an HR Giger exhibit, you might get something close to the GPKISM sound. On the one hand, they're campy and softly tongue-in-cheek while on the other, they portray a more dangerous and vampiric side. Most of their songs seem to be about lost loves or losing oneself to love, all with bloody overtones.
The music is mostly thumping kicks with a dense overlay of reverbed-out synths, arppegiating away in some ancient spaceship. There are also plenty of the requisite harpsichords, dripping with lace and dusty candlewax. That's not to say the music is harsh or abrasive. In fact it's all very pretty, with the corners rounded off. Even Kiwamu's hevily distorted guitar is downplayed in favor of more and more layers of plush synth upholstery.
Yet at the same time their tempos are generally high and pumping, with some songs turning up the distortion and letting the raw edges show. It feels as if the group is still trying to find their own special sound, which is to be expected with such a new group. Of course they've each been traveling the world playing in other bands for some time. It's only a matter of time before GPKISM solidifies in their mountain-top stronghold, allowing their dark influence to spread amongst the villagers.
Synthesis
Official Site
MySpace
Members:
Gothique Prince Ken
Kiwamu - Guitar
Ryonai - Live Keyboards
Albums:
Atheos - 2009
Infernum
Illuminatium
