Article by: Ryan Hood
Highly-anticipated doesn’t do this EP justice. Bass music icons Mr. Bill and kLL Smith have finally unveiled the eponymous debut EP from their collaborative alias kLL Bill. kLL Bill is the product of years of careful attention to detail and innovation, as both kLL sMTH and Mr. Bill are some of electronic music’s premier audio wizards. The duo heavily toured this act recently and will continue to do so into the summer of 2022, including a headlining appearance at Fire Lights Festival.
“Uncle Punch” kicks off the EP with a cinematic, cyberpunk intro. A punishing bassline melody coupled with a punchy breakbeat drum pattern quickly dominates the soundscape. This track delivers incredible groove and high-intensity energy, making it a perfect starting point for the kLL Bill album.
“Slamurai” features next on this genre-bending excursion. Devastating breaks and a punchy bassline dominate the first drop. The second drop trades breaks for a four-on-the-floor percussion pattern, as kLL Bill graces listeners with some bouncy bass house. “Bubble Skunker” taps into a more traditional dubstep structure as low, oscillating bass dominates the soundscape. The first drop in “Arner Mcrunno,” the EP’s final track, leans on a topline melody as the percussion delivers the groove.
Each song on this EP is masterfully crafted, as each playback has shown me more nuance than before. kLL sMTH and Mr. Bill are unquestionably two of bass music’s best sound engineers, and kLL Bill stands out as some of their best work to date.
Keep up with the latest from kLL sMTH and Mr. Bill using the links below, and follow along with Moon Lvnding’s New Music Friday Heat playlist on Spotify for all the latest and greatest music from across the electronic spectrum.
CONNECT with kLL sMTH:
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
LISTEN to kLL sMTH:
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud | Bandcamp
CONNECT with Mr. Bill:
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
LISTEN to Mr. Bill:
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | YouTube
