About this Kane FM story
Out 11th October, “Air Sign EP” is the latest offering from Brixton-based DJ/producer Kxngs. Following his much-anticipated return in 2016 with the 5-track “Earth Sign EP”, Kxngs received high praise and early radio support from tastemakers Gilles Peterson, Huw Stephens, Toddla T and Phil Taggart among others, and was nominated for the Worldwide Awards ‘Track of the Year’ for single “Through the Storm”.
Drawing inspiration from his passion for exploring world cultures, Kxngs’ work has been heavily influenced by the musical sounds of South African house and Latin flavours to Afrobeat, Kuduro and hip-hop. For “Air Sign EP”, Kxngs’ extensive cultural intuition has homed in on the recurring musical themes, rhythms and melodies found in Persian culture; “each track is mainly about celebrating life, inspired by aspects of Persian lifestyle”. Channelling these festivities, it seems appropriate that the EP opens with the joyous “Lifetime Celebration”. A track created with Persian get-togethers in mind, Kxngs uses layers of meticulously selected percussion to craft an irresistible melody that accurately matches the scale and patterns commonly used in traditional Persian music.
With the celebratory vibe bubbling, Kxngs merges effortlessly into the title track of the EP, “Air Sign”; a fittingly smooth transition into a tune built with the openness and freedom of flying in mind. In astrology, the air signs are known for being about motion and the winds of change, a fast-paced theme that runs throughout “Air Sign EP” and is encapsulated in this track. Showing versatility in his application of Persian-inspired strings and percussion, Kxngs creates a powerful celebration of opportunity, with soaring bass and beats. This adaptability continues to be demonstrated with the opening sounds of “Purple Visions”. In an inspired take on the world cultures that run throughout Kxngs’ work, “Purple Visions” weaves a heavy bass line with melodic Persian strings to create a specialist track like no other. The end product is a mix so majestic, it’s no surprise that it has already gained attention from Gilles Peterson on his BBC Radio 6 Music show.
As “Air Sign EP” twists into “Hasoodi”, Kxngs proves this release is not just for the bass heads, throwing his hat into the ring of grime and garage beats with deserved success. The flow of the EP’s Persian influence remains, but is revamped to incorporate carefully placed snares and claps which drop into a darker and more dramatic grime-led rhythm. Bringing the EP to a close, footwork tune “Tarof” is named after a traditional Persian term, which refers to the belief that it is polite to refuse something no more than three times before accepting. Kxngs pays particularly attention to this idea of repetition prior to acceptance, looping the grime bassline and beats, Persian choral vocals, and strings at the end of the track for a flawless climatic groove.
There is no denying the future looks bright for Kxngs and his conscientious production skills. Having moved to London from Swindon, the 25-year-old gained a degree in Sound Arts at the University of the Arts London; this opportunity offered him an escape from a year living homeless on the city’s streets. Since moving to London (and upgrading his equipment), his entire work ethic has changed as his ears adapt and he hones his production skills. “I’ve gone from making 5 tracks a day, to taking more time and building more meaningful tracks” Kxngs explains. His extensive back catalogue includes a release on the LA collective Soulection’s imprint (as Kings in 2012) - as well as self-released albums and EPs that can all be found on his Bandcamp page.