Rising Arp: Introducing Kenzo, The Instrumental Hip-Hop Beatmaker Crafting Lo-Fi Textures
Kenzo preserves the art of old-school, hip-hop beatmaking (Credit: All images by Sameh Wahba)
Stirring together a mix of old disco tunes, tactfully modulated vocals and generous dollops of love, local beatmaking wunderkind, Kenzo, whips up a charcuterie board of hip-hop experiments in his first full-length beat tape.
A 27-minute digital scrapbook of 14 tracks, Inner Circle flexes Kenzo’s producing chops and rhythmic instincts, as he weaves cohesion into the tape, amidst abrupt change-ups between and during tracks. From the breezy, summery “One Look (My Baby),” to the disco-infused “First Love (Mirage),” to the strangely optimistic “Cantgetoveru,” to the gloomy “One For Tomorrow,” the beats of Inner Circle dance around varied emotions. Created over two years, the tracks “have served as a quiet observer to Kenzo’s somewhat turbulent adult life,” reveals the beatmaker.
“[The album is] a tribute to the music that I dearly love, and most of all, a tribute to the self,” adds Kenzo, who fell in love with the format after first listening to J Dilla’s Donuts in 2014. Truly, Kenzo’s sincerity rings through in the tape’s bookending tracks, ushering visitors in, then out, with intimate, yearnful guitar solos.
Last seen closing an intimate evening in a beanie and flannel shirt at Big Duck’s B-4 Vol.4 Showcase, Kenzo’s endeavours push on. A frequent collaborator with rappers in the local scene, the beatmaker released a joint EP with GOK$ titled Mood Swings, in 2021, on top of his own two EPs, Glass Box Vol.1 and Glass Box Vol. 2. Already looking forward to another joint EP release with GOK$ in September, titled 25-0, and playing guitar in Mary Sue’s newly formed Clementi Sound Appreciation Club, Kenzo’s opened up his inner circle — and it’s certainly one to stay in.
Listen to Inner Circle by Kenzo on his Bandcamp or Spotify page. Follow Kenzo on Instagram to stay updated with his activities.
This guest feature was written by Wayne Lim (@waaaaayne_).
Find Wayne alone, and he's probably listening to music – with ‘70s punk, shoegaze and folk-pop always in rotation. And yet, he almost never remembers any lyrics. He's also still trying to find the courage to throw himself into a mosh pit.
