At the young age of 19 Kenneth Nilsen, otherwise known as K-391, has broken through into the mainstream.
I first came across the talented Norwegian delving into inner depths of underground music on YouTube and SoundCloud last year. I was looking for something new, a fresh outlook on the style of EDM that distinguishes an artist instead of the usual repetitive samples of drum loops and sounds that you can associate with other artists that have already become a worldwide success – not that there is anything wrong with that.
However, there are thousands and thousands of EDM artists trying to figure out their niche in the scene and K-391’s musical traits seemed to stand out to me. It was the consummation of jittery sound waves that included high pitched echoed distortions of synthesis – that can resemble similarly, like an update of an old 8-bit computer game’s soundtrack – along with an almighty thud of bass kicks and the snappy impact of snares. The whole combination gives the intention of lightening up the mood into a cheerful and fun atmosphere.
Now that might sound cheesy but the variety in delivery and the inclusiveness of K-391’s style whether you hear ‘Boombox’ – the first track I came across – or one of his latest works such as ‘Nice Takeoff’. It is just refreshing to see someone produce music to their traditional brand instead of deviating from their originality due to an increase in popularity. Don’t get me wrong, from checking out his other tracks through SoundCloud he has learnt to experiment with other genres which is a good thing if ever he thinks of taking his style in a new direction.
Nonetheless K-391’s latest album ‘Sunshine’ released in August, provides you with a strong track list of 8 tunes, containing compelling Electro House smashes, one chill out track and one deep electro slammer with elements of a dubstep backbeat called ‘New Energy’. It is another gem that has been unearthed and you can purchase the album for free by following the links through K-391’s SoundCloud.
K-391 is another producer I add to my list of artists to watch and expect him to be making a massive impact during the rest of this year, next year in 2015 and beyond. As with previous tips I have mentioned in conjunction to the likes of Teminite, Den5ity and Rootkit, K-391’s continues to produce prominent hits across the globe and I expect his stock to rise as well his ability to maintain the right path to superstardom. In addition, if K-391 can progress his style to become more of a polished article I could possibly see him as a future pioneer of Electro House with others following in his footsteps production-wise.
Check out ‘Sunshine’ below.
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