Two genres in one album, both sound strong

Mount Kimbie, a British post-dubstep electronic music duo, have released a new album called Die Cuts/City Planning. The album is a split between the two band members’ styles, one being pop/hip-hop and the other being techno. That said, the album is literally split into two sections, one for each member. The first section contains songs by Dom Maker and the second section contains songs by Kai Campos. 

The first song in Dom Maker’s collection is called “dvd.” It features Choker, and is a slow, vibey hip-hop style song. It features piano and vocals as main instruments, with tender lyrics and vocals by Choker. ‘“f1 racer” brings mellow techno to hip-hop, with a light, airy vibe and a hip-hop beat. This song features KUČKA, whose light vocals match the energy of the song perfectly. Halfway down the list is “end of the road” featuring the artist Reggie. This has a similar energy as “dvd,” and is a slow, groovy rhythmic piece with soft singing and soft instrumentation. 

“kissing,” which features Slowthai, is a nostalgic, passionate song which conveys these emotions without a heavy load of instrumentation. The rap part by Slowthai is a perfect complement to the minimalist instrumentation of keys and a beat. “need you tonight” uses samples of vocals, adding another great, slow and mellow song to the list of Dom Maker’s musical works. Maker uses the samples beautifully to create a syncopated sound over keys and a beat. 

“tender hearts meet the sky,” featuring the artist keiyaA is another beautiful piece filled with passion and tenderness. The instrumentation follows suit with Maker’s minimalistic style, but the music feels anything but empty, with keyboard synths singing a wistful harmony underneath soft, emotional vocals. 

On the next collection of songs, those by Kai Campos, we enter a different world. This is one of a darker, moodier techno style. 

The first song in this collection is “Q.” It brings a repetitive drum sound and fuzzy undertones together with sound effects to create a soft, airy mood. “Transit Map (Flattened)” sounds mysterious and cinematic at the start, building to a section where rhythm plays over a white noise sounding effect, then culminating into a hip-hop beat playing underneath a repeated guitar motif. 

“Satellite 9” starts with a sci-fi-esque sounding motif using synths. The motif is then played over a building hip-hop beat made using cymbals and electronic drums. The whole piece is soothing to listen to, bringing elements of jazz with its keyboard chords, almost making one imagine a spacey, relaxed lounge-y setting. 

“Zone 3 (City Limits)” is an optimistic and futuristic piece. It uses a fast-paced arpeggiating keyboard sound to mimic a harp playing, which sounds fantastically beautiful. “Industry,” the second to last song in Campos’ collection, has a four to the floor techno beat, synth motifs and no bass. It is monochromatic in sound, but still has a catchy appeal to it.

The last song in Campos’ collection is “Human Voices.” The song starts with a gradual crescendo of a shaker-style drum, then fades out a little faster than it came in. Some synth notes are played, adding some colors to the piece. 

This album is a relaxed take on alternative hip-hop and techno. It is an enjoyable listen, combining minimalistic instrumentation with subtle, smooth motifs. Both of the artists on this album created work that complement each other as they reach toward a common sound.