Kill J Quasi (EP)
Kill J are from Copenhagen, Denmark and consist of Kill (music) and J (vocals). Unlike so much Scandinavian pop, Kill J are firmly rooted in Hip Hop beats with vocal delivery that is as much Ellie Goulding as it is Candice Pillay.
Quasi is a cross section of styles but it’s certainly not afraid to make you uncomfortable when the opportunity presents itself.”You’re Good But I’m Better” has a very “right now” appeal to it. It would fit well into any mainstream Hip Hop/Soul station’s playlist. J sings very soulfully here, which shows her excellent range, and it tops off Kill’s strong, hook-heavy backdrop.
“Propaganda” is easily my favorite track here though. The high-pitched sexiness of the vocals (which is mixed with spoken word pieces) reminds me a great deal of the quirkiness of Die Antwoord while musically it treads Peeping Tom and mid-career Bjork territory. The whole song is about how J doesn’t fit the mold and she would probably be more popular if she “looked like them girls in porn.” “Mama Taught Me Well” follows it with a cinematic ambience that is spine tingling. It lyrically takes on the seedy underbelly of sexual abuse, relying again on the high pitched, straightforward vocal backed by a driving eighties New Wave rhythm. These two songs are a lot more experimental than the EP’s earlier reliance on Hip Hop and Soul and sound like a more natural fit.
This EP really came out of nowhere for me. While I can respect the Hip Hop elements, they pale in comparison to the edginess of the more experimental moments that dominate the end of the EP. Fans of Hip Hop and Soul in the 00’s will find some things to enjoy about Quasi but fans of artists like Bjork, Die Antwoord, and Ellie Goulding may find a new hero in Kill J.
Out Here All Night 