Kytami

Safehouse Anthem ft.OSC by kytami Stay Remix by kytami

Two very different tempos from one very promising prospect, this is Kytami, who proves just how effective the use of strings are in electronic music, especially drum and bass. As S.P.Y. showed us recently with the incredible By Your Side, the use of orchestral sampling creates impressive dance music. This is for the simplest reason; it takes all the depth and layers inherent in the orchestral sound and brings it to the dance floor. In the case of By Your Side, it is, on a very basic level, a break-beat with sub bass, over an epic orchestral sample.

Although Kytami does not use a full orchestra but a sole violin, I feel the same effect is still relevant. We are used to the sound of a violin in the context of an orchestra or classical piece. A strange things happens therefore when we hear the violin, this association causes the stereotypically normal electronic elements to take on a grander role, as they come to represent the epic-ness of a full blown orchestra in a form now contemporary and designed for the club.

With the slightest amount of manipulation that violin creates sounds more interesting than any that can be synthesised electronically. The high pitch cuts through you in the most beautiful way, juxtaposed with, but complemented by, that soothing low bass line; it's like your brain is being sliced open with a sword made of codeine.

Forgive the hyperbole and abnormally gushing review but this evidentially excites me, and for no more reason than the live element. Club nights often get stagnant when formulated as a series of DJ sets, I find it a lot more interesting when the nights are varied and try to incorporate some form of live element. What could be more exciting than seeing Kytami mid way through the night, going for it like a member of eScala gone off the rails, telling Simon Cowell and Britain Got Talent in a musical fashion, where they can shove it.