The art of branding oneself to adhere to a certain sense of artistry and/or musical approach is extremely common amongst any musical mind working today. In an age defined by digital-depictions and the free-forming nature of the Internet, the way one comes off from an image-based perspective usually corresponds directly with the music they intend on producing.
This notion is prevalent across all genres and all modern spaces, but to say it applies even more vividly in the often faceless realm of electronic music would be quite the understatement. These acts frequently rely on their aesthetic imagery and the facets that surround it to define their music in that sense, which gives all the more weight as to why the once-Cavalier’s transition into their new namesake UNIT KAI was so integral and meaningful for their own artistry.
This swift change in their defining aspects brought with it a promising new era for this outstanding talent behind the boards, and the worlds of house music and other dance-offshoots are certainly benefitting from this change entirely. In the process of completing this transition, KAI came through with nothing short of a statement piece with their debut single “Recurring Dreams.”
Being as dense and detailed of an experience as it is, this single is an emphatic entrance into this brand new world they plan on developing over time. Beginning with a muted synth riff that acts as the backbone for the rest of the track to come, it eventually blossoms into a full-fledged ballad once the Hatsune Miku-provided vocals enter the fray and drive the track forward.
KAI’s expert sense of instrumentation and overall composition shine throughout each and every moment that this track has in store. From the ways the opening synths build atop each other, to how the song picks up a grooving pace towards its apex when the percussion enters at just the right time, they have proven themselves as a master of structural tone and setting building all the same.
These are two concepts that play directly into this brand new world that KAI is looking to make a reality, and it is safe to say they are already on such a magnificent road to achieving that goal with this release. Songs like this are just as good in the moment as they are when looking back on a certain artist’s true beginnings, and that will undoubtedly be the case for this track once KAI fully manifests that point in the future.