Album Review: Group Show by Erik Kessels – A Sonic Art Oddity That'll Mess With Your Head (In a Good Way)
Let’s get one thing straight: Group Show isn’t your typical “put it on while folding laundry” kind of album. Nope. This 2018 release from Dutch creative wizard Erik Kessels is more like an auditory art exhibit you accidentally wandered into after taking a wrong turn at the gallery gift shop. It’s weird, wild, and kinda wonderful—if you’re into that sort of thing.
The album straddles genres like Non-Music, Folk, World & Country, Brass & Military, all under the banner of Sound Art. Yeah, I don’t fully know what half those words mean either, but trust me—it works. The record was recorded by Peter Boonstra (who probably deserves hazard pay for wrangling these sounds) and released via KesselsKramerPublishing, which feels like the cooler cousin of traditional labels.
Now, onto the tracks. While the whole album has its quirks, two stood out to me enough to make my brain go, “Wait…what did I just hear?”
First up, there’s Untitled. And no, this wasn’t laziness on Erik’s part—he’s just messing with us. The track itself is a collage of noises that feel like eavesdropping on someone’s chaotic dinner party where everyone speaks a different language. There are distant brass notes, muffled conversations, and what might be someone stomping around in clogs. Is it annoying? Maybe. But also strangely hypnotic, like watching paint dry if the paint started arguing with itself halfway through.
Then there’s another unnamed gem—because apparently naming things is overrated—that blends folky twang with military drum rolls. Imagine a farmer and a soldier having a heated debate about life choices, but instead of words, they’re using instruments. It’s disorienting yet oddly satisfying, like biting into a sandwich you didn’t order but secretly love anyway.
What sticks with me most about Group Show is how unapologetically experimental it is. You won’t find catchy hooks or sing-along choruses here; instead, it’s like listening to someone’s subconscious spill out onto a tape recorder. Sure, parts of it are jarring, but isn’t that the point of art? To shake you out of your comfort zone and force you to think, “Huh. Never heard THAT before.”
Final thought: If albums could talk, Group Show would probably say something cryptic like, “Why do birds fly south? Why not sideways?” before wandering off mid-sentence. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re tired of predictable playlists and crave something truly unique, give this a spin. Just maybe not during breakfast—you might drop your toast.
