New Release – A Sense of Unease (album) by Kiffie
Kiffie is an electro-pop and electronica artist from the UK. He composes and produces alternative and emotive songs using synths, drum machines, piano and guitar.
“My music is regularly played on independent radio based in cities all around the world, including ‘In the Moog’ hosted by Chris Watts, ‘The Sol of Synth-Pop’ (Radio Plus) hosted by Jimm Kjelgaard and many, many more. This has brought my music to new audiences and like-minded people, many of whom have become fans, friends, and musical collaborators.”
“Some collaborators include fellow electronic artist Pulse Lab (Finland), USA based emceebrownbear and modern jazz artist Richard Davies (UK). I teamed up with LGBTQA+ champion Jamie Jamal on a Christmas Single to raise money for ‘Help the Homeless’, an endeavour that was supported by actor and music fan Robert Carlyle. In October 2022 Tom Robinson selected one of my songs to play on his BBC Introducing Mixtape which was aired on BBC Radio 6 Music.”
“‘Generation Blitz’ are compilations of the best electronic music from around the world released by UK Label State of Bass. My music has been included on the first and third compilations called ‘Dusk and Dawn’ and ‘Extended’.”
“Sink Ya Teeth, who also featured on the first Generation Blitz compilation, invited me to support them at their Norwich Arts Centre gig, an opportunity I had to grasp immediately.”
“I regularly perform at the Electronic Music Open Mic in Norwich and showcase my music in front of other electronic artists. We talk about gear and make connections. I enjoy listening to and being inspired by the huge variety of music and soundscapes.”
“HMV Norwich have twice invited me to perform live in store, as part of their ‘Live and Local’ initiative. They also asked to stock two of my CD releases, ‘How to Build a Boy’ and ‘Pixelation’.”
“In March 2023 I released a new album called ‘Daring the Darkness’. It has a darker tone to reflect darker times but still with an element of hope and empowerment.”
“In April 2023 I was featured in the 100th issue of ‘Electronic Sound’.”
Kiffie’s new album ‘A Sense of Unease’ is out 31st October. A Bandcamp pre-order link is available here.
How would you describe the album?
“This album is a culmination of everything I have learned about writing and composing and producing over the last three years. It is an album about saying goodbye, an honest introspection and a message of unconditional love.The lyrical theme is one of a swan song… for one specific phase of life with a promise that the next phase is coming.”
Does the whole album fit into a particular musical genre, or does it borrow from multiple forms?
“The genre is difficult to define, it has nods to 80s synthpop, 60s art pop and 90s reggae and indie britpop. It is electronic but not overproduced clonal music.”
What does the album’s title reveal?
“Over the last three years I have released eighteen albums and ten EPs trying to explain how I feel and this album is about trying to add the punctuation. The feeling it invokes is one of having no more words to describe the general sense of unease that is left even when all our words are used up.”
Do you have a favourite song on the album? Which one and why is it your favourite?
“The song ‘The Light Inside’ is a song that really, for me, is the sound of unconditional love. It is a recognition that the warmth inside comes from others. That the answers to the questions that we have about ourselves lie in the thoughts and perceptions of the ones we love and that love us. It is a dark haunting song with words that I simply find simplistically perfect.”
How long did it take you to write and the record the album?
“This album took me about four months to complete from the first ideas to the finished product. For me this is a very long time. When I get an idea it either flows to completion or it never gets saved,”
What message do you hope your music sends to listeners?
“I hope that my listeners will feel accepted. It still isn’t cool for people like me to express their deep sensitivities. It is okay not to be okay and even in the darkest moments there exists beauty that makes it all worth while. Love is eternal… and that is a beautiful illusion.”
What do you hope they can take away from your songs?
“You are not alone.”
Is there a sense of excitement or panic for this release?
“There is a sense of trepidation. The world can sometimes feel like a difficult, unkind and dangerous place. Those thoughts are tackled head on with my music.”
