Knightstown popped onto my radar with his brand of twilight electronica pop which reminds me a little of SOHN but with more of a night light dance floor vibe. His first EP Keep released last week and continues to show the early promise.
The title track opens the EP with Knightstown’s soft voice channelling the same vibe as the quiet tracks from Fenech Soler – and tonally it is similar too. The electronics are soft and hushed, even though there’s a decent beat behind it. The whole feel of a 2am haze permeates the record and that is clearest with the angelic “Charlatan” which showcases the falsetto – gently operatic choirlike voice of Knightstown. It’s chilled out electronica and rich keyboard synth pads are like ear cuddles – luring you into a wonderful relaxing vibe even though the lyrics are clearly sending messages of distress. “Figurines” pushes slightly more towards a dreamlike RnB track as all the instruments feel like they are playing far off in the distance aside from the exquisite vocal collage for the chorus which is full of warmth and soft ooh’s. The production is amazing throughout the EP, but here it hits its peak. “First Cry” is the track that adds a bit more pace and darkness to proceedings with a tight chord progression and a meatier kick drum as vocals swirl around each other but it’s more like a collection of glittering clouds getting a bit salty with each other. It’s playful and beautiful with a bit of a kick to it and lets the downbeat “Settle” play out like a true SOHN styled finale.
Knightstown’s EP is beautifully understated. It’s melodic approach, sumptuous production and interesting lyrics really make him stand out amongst a growing collection of male producers wading into the adult electro-pop world. This is an artist I can’t wait to hear more from.
Recommended Track: Figurines