Oh boy, does Spotlight have a treat for you this week. Exeposé Music had the pleasure of chatting with Kyogi, an exciting new DJ from just down the road in Totnes. He ticks all the Spotlight criteria: original, interesting, raw, arresting… And he’s still not old enough to buy a pack of cigarettes.
Kyogi’s Soundcloud has become a hotspot of appreciation and intrigue within Electronic circles and, though perhaps most notorious for his non admittance to Cavern’s Our House last year due to his age, Kyogi’s music is now once again the main thing getting people talking up and down the country.
Citing musical influences as varied as Curtis Mayfield and Daft Punk, sixth form student Kyogi is aiming to continue developing his distinctive sound. Traces of funk and soul breathe life into tracks like Carousel and his excellent remix of Valentine by De$ignated ft. Kyiki.
Being surrounded by his dad’s large blues and jazz collection gave Kyogi an appreciation for a wide range of genres from which he now draws inspiration. The multi-talented sixth form student also plays drums to high standard as well as producing. With his feet firmly grounded, Kyogi understands the difficulty of making it as a DJ and suggests that being a session drummer would be a possible (and certainly envious) alternative.
A self-described House head with a difference, Kyogi’s signature sound can be heard in his free E.P. Higher released last month. Obviously interest in securing his services for gigs has been high, but his tender age, like at Cavern last year, means the 16 year old has difficulty breaking down restrictive age barriers (Exeposé Music wonders if Mozart had such problems…). He still has the poster from the night on his wall and hopes to play Cavern at some point in the near future. He has managed some gigs, however – notably at Nottingham’s Warehouse.
The future is obviously a vast space and getting picked up can often be difficult for young new artists, but luckily Kyogi can draw inspiration from the success story of his good friend and DJ, Karma Kid. The young Derbyshire DJ began producing dubstep tunes with Kyogi a few years ago before breaking into the musical consciousness with bangers like house mash-up ‘It’s Always’. He now headlines huge events. Kyogi would love to emulate Karma Kid’s success and the early signs suggest there’s no reason why he cannot.
Kyogi’s rise is one eagerly anticipated by Exeposé Music. Although the small town boy cliché is well worn, Kyogi is motivated by a desire to get more out of the world around him and sees his music as the key to more interesting places. We hope he finds the lock soon.
Listen to his E.P here – Higher E.P.
Callum Burroughs, Online Music Editor
exeposedev 