- By founding the NON collective two years ago, Nkisi, along with ANGEL-HO and Chino Amobi, helped to establish the chaotic sounds of experimental club music. But their own productions have since moved in different directions. ANGEL-HO has turned to sound collage, while Chino Amobi now releases orchestral manoeuvres and pensive ambient music. Nkisi, who represents NON's London arm, makes her own move with Kill, her first vinyl release. It smoothes experimental club's rough edges.
Kill's two standouts have irresistible rhythms that sway like dembow and move at a gallop that doesn't feel too fast. The broken beat of "Kill" is lopsided but funky, while "Parched Lips" recalls early IDM, with didgeridoo-like synths and catchy lead lines that unfurl like plumes of smoke. "Mwana" packs trance vibes into a tenser framework, which feels like every bar is overflowing with snares. Even in this more anxious mode, Nkisi's rhythms are infectious. Only "Can You See Me," with its slower rhythm and placid synths, falters. It halts the EP's momentum—the vocals sound dreary without an energetic beat underneath. But the track is a small misstep on an EP that shows a sharp understanding of club music's angles and contours.
TracklistA1 Kill
A2 Can You See Me
B1 Mwana
B2 Parched Lips