KITO
Kito landed on everyone’s radar as soon as Skream first introduced her tune, ‘What If’ into his sets last year. Later released on his label, Disfigured Dubz, in March 2009 it sits comfortably among the works of such dubstep figureheads as Skream and Digital Mystiks as one of it’s deepest, heaviest 12”s to date. It is her forthcoming release though, “LFO,” which has been causing a lot of buzz well before it’s scheduled drop. In this, Kito’s impressively produced integration of Reija Lee’s accessible electro-pop vocals with twisted Joker-like synths and gnarly basslines has a wholly unique sound which, frankly, could make anyone move. The fact that 22-year-old Maaike Kito hails from Perth, Western Australia is only further testament to the fact that refreshing perspectives often come from the most disparate of sources- and if “LFO” is any indication of what’s to come, she is certainly a producer to keep a close eye on.
interview by Josephine Tempongko
What sorts of music where you listening to out and about then, if not drum and bass?
Lots of bands, actually. Stuff I grew up on. And hip-hop. A bit of everything really, even some pop. I love Mike Patton, DJ Shadow, stuff on Mo’ Wax, Kool Keith.
How did you end up connecting with Skream, Disfigured Dubz, etc.?
I sent Ollie a message on MySpace asking if I could send him something. I’d just finished “What If” and thought maybe this is actually not shit. I hadn’t been sending anyone what I’d been working on so I wasn’t sure.
It is very much not shit! I love that tune.
Thanks! Having [Skream’s] validation was wicked, got me motivated to do more at 140. Or more fullstop, I guess. I’ve been making other stuff too, not just dubstep. The new material is a bit all over the place. I’m really picky though, so not sure what will actually make it out there.
