“There’s something so personal about music and the way that it attaches itself to personal moments… In terms of collective change and shared experience, this can be so powerful.” UK electronic artist Jack Chown, alias kiskadee, has quickly established himself as a nuanced storyteller through sound, and his music acts as a powerful bridge between human emotion and electronic innovation. As the creative mind behind melodious and introspective tracks such as “_DOWN” and “HEAL.” his latest offering, “U,” wraps listeners again in a lush daydream, transporting them to the middle of the forest, somewhere just to listen and feel.
Kiskadee’s journey is marked by collaborations with big names and technical work for famous artists. This experience is reflected in his music, which is both emotional and complex. However, what truly makes kiskadee stand out is his talent for crafting deeply personal and immersive listening experiences. Discussing the creative process behind his song “U,” he explains his desire to “capture the intersection of organic and electronic sounds.”
In our interview, we talk about the therapeutic nature of his creative process, especially during his time in Iceland, and his perspectives on music’s role in society.
photography by Jordan Woods
Welcome, Jack! Let’s dive straight into your new EP. I fell in love with it—it’s totally my style of music. Dreamy, melancholic and deep. Is this kind of reflective of your personality? (smiles)
Thanks for having me and the kind words! Well I’d definitely say that I’m a daydreamer but hopefully not too melancholic…. Those feelings are definitely something that I try to put into my music though – I find it’s often easier to explain a feeling through sound than words alone.
How did working with Cape Cub influence the sound or direction of “U”? Did the collaboration bring any new elements to your music that you hadn’t explored before?
So Chad (Cape Cub) and I actually met 11 years ago while interning at NME together. It was just as he was beginning his own project and I remember him playing the demos for me and being super excited by his sound. We kept in touch and, years later, wrote a few songs together from which I sampled his voice for U. I think the sound of his voice and reflecting on that time/journey together definitely affected the airy and reflective nature of the track. We’d also bonded over a shared love of Bruce Springsteen but not sure that one made it in there! haha
How does the theme of your upcoming debut album “A Room To Breathe” resonate with your own journey towards finding inner peace and meaning? Can you share how personal experiences have influenced the creation of this album?
I’m actually turning 30 the day the album comes out, which is actually a bit of a coincidence but definitely in-keeping with the way the project has come about. As I’ve reached a decade(ish) working in music, the trip to Iceland was a great way to reflect on the friendships made along the way and look back through some old projects for samples and inspiration which was a hugely enjoyable process. Whereas in the past I’d maybe get in knots over-thinking what everyone else was doing, it’s been really refreshing to get lost in the process, find, and have confidence in, my own voice.
“It’s been really refreshing to get lost in the process, find, and have confidence in, my own voice.”
You also mentioned the therapeutic nature of your time in Iceland. How do you manage your mental health, especially when faced with the pressures of creativity and production?
With varying degrees of success! It’s certainly an odd experience spending long periods of time on your own listening intently to sound. Over the past year or so I’ve definitely focussed more on collaboration (with artists such as Michael Sebastian) or even just chatting with fellow producers/composers (shoutout to James King for organising some great meet-ups!). Outside of music, I’ve gotten really into running too – participating in the Paris marathon and a couple of half marathons last year. I never listen to anything while running which might seem a bit odd but is a great way for me to reconnect with myself and the outside world.
Given your music explores deep and often introspective themes, what role do you believe music should play in society, especially in times of collective challenge or change?
That’s a really great question! There’s something so personal about music and the way that it attaches itself to personal moments (‘this was the song at our wedding / when we met etc.’) in a way that maybe other mediums don’t quite have access to. In terms of collective change and shared experience, this can be so powerful – and I think something we’ve all gone through the past few years as the collective experience was taken away and then re-introduced to us. Especially in the electronic/dance space, the collective experience can lead to moments of revelation/euphoria just through bodies being in the same space rather than necessarily being told what to feel by a specific lyric which I’ve always found really fascinating. Did you know that in a choir, different singers’ heart-beats will often sync up via breathwork? Wild. A slight tangent from this but I think related (through human connection) is the idea of craft which I’ve become really interested in recently too. In an age of AI and the algorithm I do wonder whether music’s ability to facilitate connection and change will be as powerful. I’m really keen to focus on the human element of creativity with this project away from all of that…
“This year I’m trying to ‘do less, do it well’.”
With your experience in various roles within the music industry, what advice would you give to emerging artists trying to make their own way?
Ok here goes…there’s a great lecture I watched many years ago from the fashion designer Paul Smith. When they first started, he couldn’t afford to open the shop for more than three days a week so had a job during the week. The shop was open Friday-Sunday which his job on Monday-Thursday paid for. These days, they’re known for the bright patterns and fun designs but, in reality, sell thousands of black jeans/black suits each year which pay for everything else; but then the bright patterns and fun designs are what is bringing customers in to buy a pair of black jeans.
Creatively, I’ve really tried to strike this balance in my own career. In an industry full of vanity metrics (that don’t necessarily pay the rent) I’d really encourage any emerging artist to find a way to support their art without being totally reliant on it. That’s not me saying to get a day job but to just think a bit more laterally about your artist project and how it fits into your wider creative discipline. In my case, I compose for various film/tv/advert/trailer projects which gets funneled back into kiskadee and enables me to take a few more risks and have a bit more freedom with that side of things.
Your Instagram showcases a lot of smiles and positive vibes. Lovely! In an era where social media presence is essential, how do you use your platform to connect with your audience beyond just sharing music and promotional content?
This is something I’m definitely still exploring! I actually started the project (back in 2020) by getting friends and family to send ion voice notes of their experiences in lockdown and started flipping those into beats, filming them, and posting them onto instagram. Some of those beats were then combined into my first EP, Home, released back in 2021. This idea of sampling/curation is really at the core of the project and something I’ve taken into the monthly radio show I do (shoutout Voices Radio), my spotify playlist (Flow) and mailing list etc. As the year progresses, I’m hoping to put a few sample packs out and invite my audience to collaborate with me on those which I’m really excited about.
“I never listen to anything while running which might seem a bit odd but is a great way for me to reconnect with myself and the outside world.”
Outside of music, what sources of inspiration do you draw from?
I actually grew up in Jersey in the Channel Islands, surrounded by the sea/nature which has been a constant inspiration and something I really try to reflect in my sound. There are a few field recordings from here, Iceland and Hackney in London (where I now live) peppered throughout the album which is a nice little easter egg. I love working with, and drawing inspiration from, different disciplines too which is why I’ve been particularly drawn to working in film or with visual artists recently too. There was a project I did (Sound of Colour) back in Jersey just before I started the kiskadee project which kind of brought all of these influences together too; exploring synaesthesia and the role of colour in sound which was really interesting. There’s a documentary about it somewhere online if you go looking!
Are there any principles that you live by?
This year i’m trying to ‘do less, do it well’.
The most important thing of life?
Balance.
