Cobra Killer

Renowned for making skewed, psych rock-infused electronica, Berlin, Germany based duo Cobra Killer formed in January 1998. Originally, Gina V. Dorio, a member of <a href="spotify:artist:0j6rtPpOJntNlv3iad0Xcq">EC8OR</a> and Annika Line Trost of <a href="spotify:artist:2mx5jUXuSFUX5KNN8ikgLk">Shizuo</a> met through their previous bands' involvement with <a href="spotify:artist:3YGigudQiWDb5NdJOC5StS">Alec Empire'</a>s Digital Hardcore Recordings whilst both had also been heavily involved in the West Berlin music scene from their early teens. Their debut self-titled release in 1999 epitomized the Digital Hardcore sound, blending distorted electronics, disjointed vocal samples, and irregular rhythms. Subsequent tours throughout Europe earned them a sizeable following -- owing to their notorious live shows -- which included throwing uncooked pasta and red wine into the audience while wearing blood-soaked nurses uniforms. After the downscaling of Digital Hardcore in 2000 the duo released the Heavy Rotation 10" on Monika Enterprise -- another Berlin-based label -- signing the band after they witnessed a live show in Australia while supporting <a href="spotify:artist:1gkSl4XpHIHI4I1WQbfXOE">Peaches</a>. In 2004, they released their third album 76/77, a more hi-fi outing than their previous releases, that still combined '50s rockabilly, psych rock, and electronics. In 2005, Cobra Killer re-interpreted their back catalog with the album Das Mandolinenorchester, where they deconstructed their previous work with the mandolin orchestra Kapajakos. Continuing to earn themselves a hefty fan base and touring with high-profile artists such as <a href="spotify:artist:5UqTO8smerMvxHYA5xsXb6">Sonic Youth</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2VYQTNDsvvKN9wmU5W7xpj">Marilyn Manson</a>, Cobra Killer delivered their fifth studio release, Uppers and Downers in 2009 enlisting the help of such luminaries as <a href="spotify:artist:5UqTO8smerMvxHYA5xsXb6">Sonic Youth'</a>s <a href="spotify:artist:1J4ACYB6yMqd79q3rjskqs">Thurston Moore</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5q6Nhg9lGUeSjODDdctHvN">Jon Spencer</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:267VY6GX5LyU5c9M85ECZQ">Dinosaur Jr.'</a>s <a href="spotify:artist:1PokjXeIq2zVosXbTEaNlx">J. Mascis</a>. ~ Richard Wilson, Rovi