Kachinga is an artist Your EDM has had its eye on for a few months now, since he released a few teasers videos from his then upcoming solo album, Sky Falling. Very different from the pop and trap rap that seems to be dominating the scene at the moment, Kachinga is smooth in his delivery, his beats are measured and he talks about things that matter. The production on the new album is a melding of chill hip hop and chiller electronica, making it perfect to cross all kinds of genres.
Now that Sky Falling is out, it’s being seen as a real breakthrough project, wit lots of surreal, trippy vibes, smooth jazz and stark lyrical imagery. Kachinga is poised to fill a huge gap in modern hip hop with an album like this, a gap that’s been sorely missing since the days of Nas, Mos Def and even early Kanye West (remember College Dropout? Ahh, those were the days).
Since Kachinga’s fame and respect in the game will likely continue to grow, Your EDM decided to ask him a few questions about Sky Falling, his production crew and where he plans to go with his solo project in the future. He was as chill and genuine as on his “breakdown” video for the track “Balance,” and he really gave some insights into his process. Check out this gorgeous video for the single “December” feat. Mungala, J.A.D, DIEmond & STMBLZ here as well: 
How would you characterize your music?
Oh man. The way I describe it to most people is that my music is what would happen if Jay-Z and Coldplay made an album together. Otherwise I can’t say that I have found a category or genre to put myself into.
What are some of the main influences you can cite in the making of Sky Falling?
My influences for this album were all over the place! I’d say the main ones were Feist, Jay-Z and Kanye West. I did draw certain things from other artists like Noah and the Whale, Elvis, Pusha-T, Metric, The Killers, Darwin Deez and Kishi Bashi. Really I was listening to anything that I could learn from.
In terms of producing the album, what were the roles of Lava Cru and Cam Banika?
The Lava Cru production team are family! It’s made up of Neemz, who is responsible for the amazing production that blesses the album. He is a genius. Cam is the engineer & co-producer; he has to listen to my voice an annoying amount during the recording process and then again while he mixes and masters everything. Recently Lava Cru has added Rosie, who brought her singing, writing and engineering skills to “Sky Falling.” It’s like a musical Team Avatar.
What are some themes and messages you want go get across with this album?
I really wanted to make this album a personal project. It’s one of the first times that I have really focused on talking about my real life. I was inspired by Dan Harmon, Bill Burr and Joe Rogan’s abilities to let the audience into their world without it weighing heavy on the listener, so I started doing open mic nights to improve in that area. As far as leaving our audience with something, the message is set through the song “B.C.” – a reminder that life will always throw things at you, so you need to learn to go with the current.
What are some things you took away from working with the Skool City collective? Do you see your style now as being completely different from that chapter of your music?
Skool City was a band made up of Neemz and I. We put out two EPs, “It’s Raining” and “Bloody Nose.” The latter was mixed by Cam, which was kind of how we came together. Neemz did all the producing so that really helped form a good working relationship that we carried over into “Sky Falling.” I wouldn’t say that my style has changed but I would say that it has grown. Changing the dynamic of our work situation from band to solo artist and producer has allowed us to be more experimental with the work that we ultimately show and share with each other.
Do you plan to collab with Skool City again in the future?
Skool City died, but Lava Cru is forever. I don’t think we will ever form the band again, but Neemz is always the lead producer on every project that I make.
What’s one message contained in Sky Falling that you really want to get across to fans?
I think I want to give people the chance to know me (with this album), remove the cowl as it were. I think it will allow me to create different styles of music in the future when our audience can understand who I am as a person, and where I draw my influences from. Other than that, I want people to feel like they just watched a movie after listening to the album, because it is a well-scripted journey in all aspects of the creative process.
Sky Falling is out now and available to stream on Soundcloud, YouTube and Spotify. It can be purchased on iTunes and Googleplay.
