Kristina Esfandiari and friends are King Woman. Following her debut EP as Miserable, Kristina returns to her original solo-moniker for the Dove / Fond Affections cassingle/ digital single – her second release as King Woman, which dropped via The Native Sound earlier this year..
Building on the haunting folk of 2013’s Degrida / Sick Bed single, “Dove” is a slow-burning, muscular, and above all, monstrous song. Clocking in at over 15 minutes, it is by far the most emotive of Kristina’s recent compositions. “Fond Affections,” a cover of the classic Rema-Rema song follows, and although it is slightly less expansive in its seven minute run-time, it is equally powerful and poignant. Kristina’s take on the 4AD standard made popular by This Mortal Coil is nothing short of gorgeous – a true testament to her development as a songwriter, and a hint of what’s to come from this project’s future releases.
Ghettoblaster recently caught up with several of the current members of King Woman to discuss the most monstrous releases of the year. This is what they were digging.
Kristina Esfandiari – King Woman
1. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Make My Head Sing
2. Creative Adult – Psychic Mess
3. Have A Nice Life – The Unnatural World
4. Future Islands – Singles
5. Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness
6. Cities Aviv – Come To Life
7.  Crisis Arm – Rend
8. Nothing – Guilty Of Everything
9. Mother Room – Scorched
10. Night Beds – Head For The Hills (single)
 
Joey Raygoza – King Woman
Ajax – Bleach for Breakfast
Warthog – Prison 7″
Gas Rag – Beats Off
Total Control – Typical System
Hank Wood and the Hammerheads – Stay Home
Blonde Redhead – Barragan
Old Man Gloom – Ape of God
Christopher Owens – A New Testament
Yob – Clearing the Path to Ascend
 
Colin Gallagher – King Woman
Ajax – Bleach For Breakfast
Bongripper – Miserable
Radioactivity – Radioactivity
YOB – Clearing The Path to Ascend
Allah-Las – Worship The Sun
Cherry Glazerr – Haxel Princess
Electric Wizard – Time to Die
Thou – Heathen
Sza – Z
Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2
 
Sky Madden – King Woman
1. Band: Ringo Deathstarr
Album: God’s Dream
Label: Neon Sigh / Noyse Records
2. Band: Silent Servant / Broken English Club
Album: Violence Divinity
Label: Cititrax
3. Band: Lust For Youth
Album: International
Label: Sacred Bones
4. Band: Ensemble Economique
Album: Melt Into Nothing
Label: Denovali
5. Band: HTRK
Album: Pyschic 9-5 Club
Label: Ghostly International
6. Band: Jon Porras
Album: Light Divide
Label: Thrill Jockey
7. Band: Evan Caminiti
Album: Coiling
Label: Dust Editions
8. Band: Marshstepper
Album: A New Sacrament of Penance
Label: Downwards
9. Band: Dum Dum Girls
Album: Too True
Label: Sub Pop
10. Band: Golden Donna
Album: II
Label: 100% Silk
(Visit the band here: http://thenativesound.limitedrun.com/products/529777-king-woman-dove-fond-affections.)