Coalition of the Killing
[Auralism]
The unified alter ego of Jason Short and Marc Smith (Mr. Malfunction), Coalition of the Killing is the flagship of the Auralism fleet. Having met in Florida, Short and Smith fused their mutual love for otherworldly head trips and steel-toed synths into a longstanding collaborative relationship—between them, they have released 11 records both separately and together under the names Biogenesis, Sattva, and Groove Element.

By 2003, their collective musical vision had widened to absorb the new strains of minimal techno and German IDM leaking from across the Atlantic. But as they developed their sound, it became quickly apparent that they possessed a musicality and sense of humor that was wholly unique to Coalition of the Killing. An electrically charged amalgamation of crunchy rattling percussion and cauterizing analog synths, COTK's off-balance productions were meant for a party where the floorboards aren't quite level and the walls could collapse at any time. They were also ahead of their time, as it turned out—after receiving voluminous praise but no firm offers from scores of the usual labels, Short and Smith decided to use COTK as the fulcrum to launch their own imprint, Auralism, in 2005. Now, operating simultaneously from Nashville and San Francisco, COTK is poised to take the country from both ends with a live set that's equal parts Ableton and Machinedrum. "When Marc and I write together we tend to get really abstract. Our productions as Coalition of the Killing are a bit stranger than the music either of us writes on our own," explains Short. Smith agrees: "We can be grinding and grimy, but at the same time quirky and weird, even ethereal. You may want to wear your helmet!"

myspace.com/coalitionofthekilling
myspace.com/jasonshortmusic
myspace.com/mrmalfunction