When an EP is accompanied with a press-release that reads like the following paragraph, it’s likely that a fan of mysterious producer Burial might perk up his ears:
“To describe Kindred’s EP is to describe a moorish countryside morning at 6am; although the sun wishes to come up, and although the world seeks to introduce itself to the listener, the heavy fog, of moodiness, wrapping up the world within the EP forces the listener to dance with what Kindred has, so surgically, teased us with as he uses this release to tell a narrative.”
The creator of the above described EP–aptly titled Psyche–is 18 year-old British producer/singer/guitarist Kindred a.k.a. Jack Campbell, a young artist who has opted for a bit of creative rebranding (as evidenced by his healthily populated YouTube page) and emerged with a notable five song collection. Campbell’s new set is an often haunting affair, an inheritor of Burial’s blueprint, James Blake’s recent creations, and a range of unexpected influences filtered through a gorgeously grey lens. Titular mid-EP song “Psyche” particularly suggests the range of Kindred’s abilities and creative touchstones, a darkened, skeletal take on Al Green-style soul that highlights the Londoner’s earthy vocals and compositional strengths.
While certain elements feel as though they could use a bit more baking (occasional missteps in sound selection detract from the otherwise intricately crafted mood), Campbell appears on Psyche as a talent to watch. Give it a listen below and download it here.