If you’re on the hunt for new music, and are open to a palette expanding paradigm shift, you can’t do any better than Kilamanzego [“kill-a-man’s-ego”]. The moniker for Kay Oko (an experimental electronic music producer, vocalist, and visual artist based in Philadelphia) becomes her performer name – which initially was almost “Kilimanjaro” to pay homage to her African culture – that playfully and confidently makes a bold statement of women’s empowerment as a unique force in the electronic scene.
We first heard her work on Bandcamp and were instantly hooked. After per-ordering her newest work, the pull-no-punches album called “Black Weirdo” has been playing non-stop in the car, my headphones and all around the house. The EP is dynamic, full-bodied, robust and virtuosic, so we knew we just had to speak to Kay to learn all about these electronic haymakers.
For more than an hour, we dove into Kay’s experiences living in different cities and countries, her interests, her process and more. Kay makes some truly personal works – which is not uncommon for most musicians – but the level of feedback and fan base she’s gained in a very short time is nothing short of astounding. GoSeeTalk can throw her praise all day long, but that is nothing compared to how Kay’s music attracts interest of some true sonic heavyweights like Nine Inch Nails and Son Lux.
The former loves her work as a fan while the latter wanted Kilamanzego to remix one of their songs as part of a re-release of “Lanterns” (re-titled as “Alternate Forms”) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the band’s famous album. Check out the magic she wove for ‘Plan the Escape‘ below…
When Kay sets her mind to something, she truly delivers, and in so doing charts a wider and longer path for her future. What is perhaps the most exciting bit from our exchange is the road she’s been on. She describes herself as an “outsider” and identifies as such. As humble as Kay is enigmatic, she’s a force whose work stands out in a crowd. Suffice to say, she won’t be on the outside much longer.
Play the “Black Weirdo” EP for anyone and at the end of the five tracks (one of which is an instrumental of the lead track) they will be left with a fistful of earworms that won’t go away. Her sound will have you clamoring for more…the good news is that Kay is hard at work on delivering just that.
Keep watch of the calendar as we quickly approach Bandcamp Friday on September 1 when Kilamanzego will drop something new. All purchases on Bandcamp Friday go directly to the artists. That’s one of the many reasons we love the platform, so make sure Kilamanzego and all the other artists you love/follow get your support and a healthy dip into your heart wallet.
We are thrilled and delighted to share this latest episode in our Bandcamp interview series with you and add Kilamanzego to the Thunderdome of artists we admire. Now let’s drop the needle and kick this hardcore, shall we??
Check out Kilamanzego on Bandcamp or YouTube and follow her on Instagram for more updates on her dope beats!
