It might sound strange, but DKA compilations are best understood as educational resources. Whether it’s a deftly curated LP or a tape, the DKA crew always school me on what’s happening on the darker side of electronica, from icy club bangers to sparse, atmospheric techno. Their second tape comp, DKA Tape Programme Vol. II, drops at the end of this week and it’s the most wide-ranging release from the local label yet, featuring established artists like Karger Traum and Kangarot while providing an outlet for newer acts who are still finding their footing as artists. The 20-track cassette was mixed and mastered by Travis Thatcher (Voice of Saturn), so even though the tape ricochets between eccentric house and moody industrial, there’s a keen sense of continuity.

CRT’s “Reform School” is the sole local representation on the tape this go round, but damn if Michael Keenan (NAARC, HAWKS) doesn’t rep Atlanta beautifully. The jittery track picks up where CRT left off with his solo debut tape CS 1, taking on a slightly more dancey tone without losing the pulverizing energy which makes his tracks so explosive. Like the EP he released in April, “Reform School” is proof that melody can exist in a vacuum. As the track progresses, Keenan builds a percussive frame and transforms it into a rich symphony, even though the individual elements of the song take no definitive shape apart from harsh, metallic clattering.

CRT has long been an insular outlet for Michael Keenan’s most personal work, but as the project takes shape in the public eye it continues to evolve from something that was simply jarring into a tenacious approach to synthesized music that demonstrates both creative spark and a surreptitious appreciation for noisy ‘80s industrial music. In that sense, “Reform School” is the perfect exhibit of what to expect from the upcoming comp, an underground buffet of forward-thinking artists whose music has deep roots in the fringe scenes of the past.

DKA Tape Programme Vol. II is out Sept. 14. Pre-orders are available here.

More Info
Bandcamp: crtatl.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @crtatl
Instagram: @copyrightregistertrademark