Dreamy, atmospheric club beats flow easily within the 13 minutes of this stunning EP from South London’s KYKO.
Wildlife is the second EP from KYKO, also known as Scott Verrill. The 20-year-old artist was inspired by South African music, modern-day electronica and the classic names he was raised on, including Paul Simon. The EP is a joyous, thoughtful exploration of the potentials of pop music, proving electronic pop can (and should) be more than just the glorified beats of the Chainsmokers.
The four-track EP starts with “Horizon,” a pure dancehall masterpiece. Vocal segmentation is a classic trope of the genre, but it doesn’t feel cliche on this song. It’s fun and high-energy, with a hook so catchy it’s almost impossible not to dance along. “Nature” is where all of Verrill’s vast collection of inspirations become clear. It’s as much Phil Collins as it is Passion Pit. In a feature with Line of Best Fit, Verrill explained the song is about “the fast pace of life (especially in London) and how sometimes it’s better to enjoy and appreciate where you are in life instead of overly fretting about the future.”
“Dive In” might be the most hypnotic of the four songs. Tropical and luscious, the song builds so organically and peaks at a seemingly untouchable point of pop perfection. There are few words to describe how impressive this tune really is coming from such a young artist. The final track, “Drive,” leaves listeners surrounded in bright riffs and strong synths. Again, the vocal distortions here don’t feel overdone or distracting. There's a warm, genuine quality to Verrill's voice that doesn't get lost in the heavy production.
A little bit of everything in moderation makes Wildlife an expertly crafted EP from an artist we should all keep our eyes on.