After changing his name to “Kidnap” from “Kidnap Kid” in 2017, Matt Relton embarked turned a new page as a musical artist. His hypnotic beats and sombre melodies are a mature, more nuanced take on electronic dance music. If you are just getting into his music, here are six great tracks to start with.
Grow: Begining with a minimal piano melody paired with a mellow vocal hook that slowly builds into a minimal beat that underpins the flow of the track. “Grow” shows remarkable restraint in its production dolling out melodies and choruses while somehow keeping everything pretty low-key.
Moments: Once again kicking off with a skeletal piano melody, “Moments” builds an atmosphere of melancholy but as the track progresses, the melodies get brighter, some more instruments get added into the mix before it all quietens back down for the end.
Start Again: Starts with an upbeat rhythm that is immediately joined by catchy vocal hooks as keyboard stabs accentuate the melodies and build in the background. About halfway through the song, bells introduce a new layer to the melody and are carried by the beat, building into layers of instruments and sounds before the end.
Birds That Fly: A minimal beat and a repeated vocal sample kick the track off. Using the sample as part of the rhythm, the track builds off it, introducing new instruments and an infectious main keyboard hook that circles throughout the song.
Willow Tree: Willow tree is propelled by a big beat that pushes you forward with constant hi-hats and a staccato bassline that gives the main rhythm barely any room to breathe but when the vocals glide in over the arrangement, the track somehow opens up with lush hooks and keyboard melodies before it all comes crashing down in the end.
First Light: A more ominous Kidnap track with a beat that takes its time building from basic kicks before being joined by a glitchy, bouncy keyboard line. When everything kicks in, there are alternating keyboard lines, big vocal washes and bouncy hooks as more layers are introduced and the song brightens up just a little before it abruptly ends.
Words by Rohith Bhaskar
Originally published at https://warpcore.live on February 2, 2020.
