KinAhau

Fast-rising Mexican DJ and producer KinAhau has just released his most ambitious project to date with ‘Triple T’—a thirty-track collection of records released daily throughout May. Launching on May 1st, this project followed his notable collaboration ‘Different Side’ with Michael Bibi and Audio Bullys and releases on Knee Deep In Sound and Revival New York. The project saw KinAhau, an exciting 20-year-old talent, uncover a selection of personal works from his vault, showcasing a deeply personal journey through various genres, styles, and influences.

KinAhau’s rapid ascent into the global spotlight began with his breakthrough single ‘Turned Turk’ on Solid Grooves in 2022. His journey has been heavily influenced by the mentorship of Solid Grooves founder Michael Bibi, with whom he collaborated on ‘Different Side’—one of the biggest records of 2023. His debut on Revival New York with ‘Subject Study’ and releases on Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep In Sound have further solidified his position as a rising star in the electronic music scene.

With ‘Triple T,’ KinAhau steps outside his comfort zone to deliver an in-depth collection of 30 records that represent his sound, past, present, and future. The project includes signature productions as well as leftfield curveballs, offering a comprehensive look at his artistic evolution. In our heartfelt interview, KinAhau shared the conception of ‘Triple T’ and the process behind its creation.

The idea for the project came in late 2023, when his team at Prime Culture proposed the concept of releasing a track every day for a month. Initially hesitant, KinAhau embraced the unconventional approach, inspired by the maverick spirit of the artists he admired.

“Years ago, I’d look at what the artists I admire so much were doing and tell myself, ‘Wow, they aren’t following any formulas or any trends but making their own. I want to do that”.

The selection process involved narrowing down over 400 records to 30, choosing those that best represented his artistic journey and personal stories.

KinAhau emphasized the importance of sharing his unique perspective and experiences through his music, saying,

“Who knows if I’ll have the chance to tell these tales tomorrow... I only have today, so I might as well put them out now.”

Regarding the current state of the house and tech house scene, KinAhau expressed a desire for innovation and genuine connection with audiences, particularly from his generation. He criticized the lack of originality and called for a return to the mindset of creating something new and exciting.

“If my generation doesn’t do anything to connect with an up-and-coming audience, we will all be unemployed soon,” he warned.

Speaking on the influence of his early childhood on the ‘TTT’ project, KinAhau shared;

“For this project specifically, it didn’t influence it too much. Although nowadays it does, these were all records I made at sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen, and I looked at music differently, Back then, I wanted to get as far away as possible from that. I was tired of going to piano lessons”.

“What shaped me back then was going out partying. I remember some older friends got me into my first club at thirteen; I got wasted, and even though that became a parental scandal, having shades on, a couple of shots before blacking out, and dancing my heart out to the music was one of the best experiences I ever had. I kept looking for that weekend after weekend. That’s what shaped the first couple of years I started making music. Lights out, music loud, not a care in the world but feeling yourself through sound”.

As a 20-year-old artist deeply embedded in the house and tech house scene, KinAhau also shared with us his perspective on the current state of the genre and the way Gen Z is influencing and evolving the house and tech house landscape.

“The current state is a little regrettable and disappointing. You hear the same three records over and over. You go to the club, and it’s the same song for the whole night. Of course, there are exceptions. There are plenty of great artists, but the rest of the scene seems to be a competition about who has less personality, which I don’t understand since it’s only harmful. You go to the club, and people barely dance”.

“I hear everyone criticizing the so-called ‘social media techno’, but at least they’re reaching a new and young audience and having fun while doing it. I’m not saying I want that for tech house, but if my generation doesn’t do anything to connect with an up-and-coming audience, we will all be unemployed soon”.

“The times when the foundation we now stand on was built had an exciting mindset, “let’s do something that hasn’t been done before”. I think that is why labels such as Cadenza, M_nus, Solid Grooves, Crosstown Rebels, Cocoon, and Desolat became what they became, and inspired so many people. There are super exciting new acts within electronic music, but I often don’t see them doing tech house. Nonetheless, I think people are starting to catch up with this, and soon, more will step off the rat race and start creating something that, in the future, we can all be proud of”.

With ‘TTT’ now released, Kinahau just shared with us a sneak peek on his forthcoming plans, and his Crosstown remix which is out now.

“I am incredibly grateful to Damian and Airrica for allowing me to remix ‘Cherries’. Putting out a record I love so much in such a magical place as Crosstown Rebels is something I won’t ever forget. I had such a joyful time doing it”.

“I could come up with the typical speech, “You can expect an exciting mix between house and melodic elements, together with a rumbling rolling bass, etc.” but I think we are all tired of that. I’m not even sure if the record is good; I know I love it, but people will have the final say on that. Music is such a subjective thing, too; sometimes artists write something specific in their lyrics, and then people will hear and chant something different. Then, suddenly, the record has another meaning. So I don’t think what I think people can expect matters. That is for them to know, but I guess that is what makes it exciting. We’ll all figure that out together!”

KinAhau’s journey, from his early days immersed in piano lessons to his club experiences, has shaped his unique approach to music. Through ‘Triple T,’ he defies conventional release schedules, offering a deeply personal collection that encapsulates his artistic evolution and raw, unfiltered creativity.

His critical perspective on the current state of the house and tech house scene highlights a desire for innovation and genuine connection with audiences, particularly from his generation. Looking ahead, his excitement for upcoming project, reflects his commitment to pushing boundaries and creating music that resonates on a deeper level. KinAhau’s story is one of embracing risk, rejecting the ordinary, and inspiring others to find their voice in an ever-evolving musical landscape.