Kenyan ambient experimentalist KMRU leans across the African continent to join forces with Ethiopian/Somalian creator Hibotep for a genre-jumping double-sided split.
KMRU, who now resides in Berlin, is fresh off the back of a slew of wide-reaching experimental releases.
Field recordings, fragments of memories and celestial instrumentation are but some of the facets of his expansive sonic artillery. Read our interview with KMRU here.
Hibotep, now an incumbent of Uganda, is a walking, breathing example of the diversity of Kampala’s arts and culture scene, and was named in Mixmag’s ’17 women shaping African dance music’.
Real name Hibo Elmi, she is, amongst other things, a DJ, filmmaker, fashion designer, installation artist, rapper and producer. A self described cultural nomad, she pushes forward a genre she calls Industrial Shamanism.
United, the pair release KMRU / Hibotep via UK label Byrd Out (whose alumni include Mark Archer, Andrew Weatherall, DMX Krew & Lee Scratch Perry).
KMRU dons the A and Hibotep the B, to create a juxtaposed slice of both ethereal drones and blistering, low-slung rap music.
On the A side, KMRU demonstrates his mastery as a sound artist, blending different textures together to produce an evocative overall effect on ‘Wind Bags’, while delivering an initially disconcerting, yet meditative reflection with ‘Lune’.
KMRU also selected critically acclaimed artist Nyokabi Kariuki to remix ‘Wind Bags’, which sees her lullaby over a completely reworked mix of the track.
KMRU’s power lies in his ability to squeeze time; to make the lengthy feel fleeting. The hypnotic 13 minutes pass by like a subconscious thought.
On the B Side, Hibotep snaps you out of your daydream, with stabbing drums and marauding bass that usher along her multilingual lyrics on ‘Amber’.
‘Ebwino’ sees Hibotep plant a modest but fertile backing for rap artist Will’stone, to deliver a moreish, gritty, murky hip-hop cut that will forever lurk the underground.
Hibotep closes off with Saffron, a crunchy boom-bap cut littered with spiky synth visitations, field excerpts and droney strings.
KMRU / Hibotep has two faces, both musically and physically.
But, what is most definitely shared between the two LP flips is a motto that rules are for the breaking.
KMRU, whose lust for his surroundings has landed him in the German capital and touring with Big Thief, is occupying a novel position within electronic music.
Similarly, Hibotep’s resistance from definition; her merging of trap, hip-hop, Moroccan Gnawa and Kenyan Taraab gives us entirely new creative spaces to consider.
What KMRU / Hibotep shows us is that the electronic music emerging from Africa is as pioneering as anywhere.
We are hearing new combinations of sounds for the first time; new definitions, new feelings.
You can buy KMRU / Hibotep here.
Noise Narrative 