Warp
Catalogue No: WARPLP319I
Indie Exclusive Clear vinyl 2LP
MK 3.5: Die Cuts | City Planning shows how Dom Maker and Kai Campos have grown over the past decade, and demonstrates the two sides of Mount Kimbie's aesthetic coin - each side produced entirely by either member. Dom's side, Die Cuts, is colourful and melody-led, thriving on the spark of collaboration; Kai's, City Planning, is tactile and unpredictable, the product of a deeply personal aesthetic voyage. The two sides complement each other through their contrasts. But in other ways they're not so different. Both artists present a unique vision which stands apart from their peers; neither side could have been made by anyone but Mount Kimbie.
Die Cuts, produced by Dom, was inspired by his move to LA half a decade ago, around the same time as the band's old friend and collaborator James Blake. The pair began doing production sessions with a series of increasingly big names from the world of rap and hip-hop, including Jay-Z, Travis Scott, ASAP Rocky, SZA, and Rosalia, among many others. Dom's collaborative work is going from strength to strength, hitting a recent high with his and James' headturning work on Slowthai's 'Feel Away'.
Die Cuts is a reflection of this nascent community and Dom's producerly vision. Skipping between hip-hop, RnB, and electronic pop, the album combines high class songcraft with a delicate leftfield touch, and showcases a cast of vocalists including longtime friends James Blake and Slowthai, alongside new collaborators Danny Brown, Reggie, Nomi, Keiyaa, Wiki, Liv.e, Kucka and Choker.
Kai's side began after the duo's finest record yet, 2017's Love What Survives, led to a period of extensive touring. Back home, he was hungry for a change of pace. He found it in DJing, which offered a new kind of performance - unplannable, unpredictable, and thrilling. He has since become a seasoned DJ, clocking in at the finest festivals (Field Day, Dekmantel, Melt) and clubs (Printworks, Fabric, Sub Club, Concrete) and recording numerous mixes, including a slick DJ-Kicks mix in 2018. Following this, he embarked on a project of \intense listening and thinking about listening