KLEOPATRA – UKIYO (Track Premiere)
Listen to UKIYO, the brand new single from Glasgow-based 'performance android' KLEOPATRA
“KLEOPATRA is a performance android with human consciousness”, read the press notes for the immensely catchy and super infectious new single UKIYO, “a glitch in the music scene that she has taken on with full power.” Quite the intro to an artist, isn't it?
KLEOPATRA first came to our attention just a few days into the year when we saw that KOHLA had posted a video online of her performing at one of The Hug & Pint’s First Footing shows. Intrigued by this apparent part android/part human, accompanied by wonderfully rich beats, we couldn’t help but dig a little deeper into the realms of this mysterious Glasgow-based being.
After a brief chat online we discovered KLEOPATRA had new music coming in 2020, the first piece of which is the aforementioned UKIYO, set for release on Friday 24 January. The Skinny are delighted to be premiering this thick and hypnotic slice of pop, which you can listen to in the below SoundCloud player (click here if it’s not displaying correctly).
Of the song's inception, KLEOPATRA tells us: "During the Edo period in Japan, dance music and art flourished – this era even gave rise to a famous art movement known as Ukiyo-e (lit. Paintings of the floating world). This concept of paintings of the floating world has greatly inspired me." She continues: "As a Buddhist myself I see the transient nature of life and use songwriting as an opportunity to capture the fleeting moments of my own existence. Just existing in a world where we are enveloped by adverts for products to improve ourselves inspires me to say something – whether visually or sonically.
“My idea with the song was to hit from both angles," she explains, "by writing lyrics that reflected the standards we are held to and by creating artwork that commented on the strong projection of these standards. We often forget or cannot see the real thing for the unattainable ‘perfect’ we are promised we can be.”
UKIYO is released on 24 Jan – you can pre-save the track on Spotify, Deezer or Apple Music here; KLEOPATRA plays Stereo, Glasgow, 6 Mar
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