Mr Kito - The Middle of Everything

Picture source: http://mrkito.bandcamp.com/

Artist: Mr Kito

Track: The Middle of Everything

Genre: rock, alternative, indie

Mr. Kito is the result of Frenchman Eric Michot, who currently resides and produces music in Cape Town, South Africa. Michot is a multi-instrumentalist, who not only sings as Mr. Kito, but also produces the accompanying music that complements it. The result of Mr. Kito's solo work is highly ambitious - the dedicated performer releasing 'The Middle of Everything' as his sixth album to date. Beginning to write and produce songs in 2012, and then creating the 'Mr. Kito' project in 2013, it is at an impressive speed that Michot releases his albums. In March 2013, Michot released four albums at once on a range of online platforms, including Bandcamp, Myspace and Soundcloud. 

Mr Kito - The Middle of Everything

Alternative rock one-man-band Mr. Kito is exploring new territories in his experimental new album, 'The Middle of Everything'. The album, released 12 August 2013, is dubbed as 'alternative rock', yet dabbles in a range of different genres, speeds and tones. Best described as a mix between alternative British rockers Radiohead and Placebo, Mr. Kito's compilations are a significant step away from the generic alt-rock sound. 

The first track on the album, 'Broken Arrow' has an electronic melody that flows throughout the song. Mr Kito is known for electronic influences, touching on this notion in his previous albums, My Tattooed Self and The Weatherman. In Broken Arrow, it is positive to see Mr Kito expanding and developing and expanding on sound from his previous work. 

Also, in juxtaposing songs such as Broken Arrow to Kito's previous work, it is interesting to note a shift in vocalisation. Vocal work dominates Kito's new sound, which is not particularly different from previous works, however the tone of his vocals has significantly changed. Songs including 'Broken Arrow', 'Illusion of a World' and 'Nowhere Else to Go' are more mellowed tracks that although slow, showcase Michot's vocal capabilities whilst drawing sharper attention to the lyrics of each song. 

The lyrics, which are also written by Michot himself, are quite abstract and experimental in content, which coincides with the album's experimental genre choices. On his inspiration for music and lyrical content, Michot says that he bases his inspiration on his experience of reality.

'Life and how I fit into it (what i experience at a given time) would be the source of inspiration. I aim to enter the state of presence as much as possible (mind less) and invite what ever would come from within...I believe we are interpreters of "what is",' he says.  

SB wire says that The Middle Of Everything represents 'a retrospective outlook on human behavior, seeking freedom from the mind of conceptualized created reality.' 

Since the start of his career, Michot's reality has been a string of successes. Receiving airplay in a number of international countries such as Sweden, Australia, France, Ireland and the United States, Mr. Kito has received what is labeled as an 'enviable response from music fans worldwide'. Earlier this year, Mr. Kito shot to number one place on the alternative charts for South Africa on music hosting site Reverbnation. 

Now, with a fan-base of over 150,000 online fans, including over 62,000 Twitter followers and 79,000 'likes' on Facebook, demand for Mr. Kito is rising at a rapid speed. Judging by Michot's ability for speedy releases, fans can most likely expect that a seventh album following The Middle of Everything will be released in the short future.  

You can download a copy of The Middle of Everything here

By Lily Pavlovic posted Friday 30, 2013, for STSBM