MP3: Kesington Kross – “Arabian Paradise”
“He melds contemporary R&B with its ’80s equivalents—think Trey Songz if he were soundtracking a Don Johnson-era episode of Miami Vice.” – Complex.com
The Song:
Discovered by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who then introduced him to L.A. Reid, retro-futuristic singer-songwriter and producer Kesington Kross (formally known as “Kes”) marks the first joint artist signing by the two industry legends to Epic Records in a whopping 25 years. Kesington’s strong songwriting skills and his ability to deftly meld ’80s influences with a contemporary veil left a lasting impression on them both when they first met him, and now he’s gearing up to release the first song from his upcoming 5-song mixtape Audio Justice, entitled “Arabian Paradise.“
Opening with a cascading arpeggio on sitar, “Arabian Paradise” occupies a unique space where Middle Eastern scales, instruments, and imagery mix with quintessential ’80s production motifs to create a new sound. A true ’90s baby, Kesington’s obsession with ’80s production techniques and drum machines takes center stage with his expert use of layering, 808s, synths, and empty space. Against this unique backdrop, his lyrics tell the tale of a lucky gentleman in a far away land whose needs are fulfilled by a runaway princess with excess to spare.
Kesington’s upcoming Audio Justice mixtape will be made available on Thursday, December 12th and his first official single “Gimme Your Luv” will come in January 2014.
Listen to “Arabian Paradise” which Complex premiered here: http://www.complex.com/music/2013/11/kes-arabian-paradise-premiere
Or subscribe to KES’ SoundCloud and download the song here: https://soundcloud.com/kesingtonkross
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Please contact Michelle if interested in talking with Kesington Kross.
Compton/LA-based singer-songwriter/producer Kesington Kross (formally known as “Kes”) got his big break when industry legend Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds introduced him to industry veteran and Epic Records CEO L.A. Reid, who immediately signed him. As Complex Magazine puts it, “[KES] melds contemporary R&B with its ’80s equivalents—think Trey Songz if he were soundtracking a Don Johnson-era episode of Miami Vice.” Kesington’s debut mixtape, Audio Justice, arrives this month and his first single, “Gimme Your Luv,” will follow in January 2014.