I believe every musician has to find their unique way of creating music, and it may be useful to see different styles of working because one might discover something that works for them. In our latest lesson, we looked at the workflows of several musicians, from which I picked two to discuss today: KMRU and Burial. A common thread binding these two artists is their incorporation of field recordings into their creative processes. However, I find that the way they utilise them is somewhat different.
Burial is a British electronic musician known for his work in dubstep and ambient music. His real identity was a mystery at the time, which added to the intrigue as he gained recognition with his album “Burial”.
KMRU, on the other hand, is a Kenyan electronic music producer known for ambient and experimental genres. Despite being the son of a (to some extent) famous musician and politician, he’s recognized for his unique approach to sound design and composition.
Both artists use field recordings, which means they record sounds from their surroundings and use them in their music. KMRU captures the ambience around him to experiment with later, so he doesn’t have an end goal in mind at the first stages of production. Burial also captures familiar sounds, but his goal is to make them sound nostalgic, melancholic, and distant.
In one of the interviews, KMRU expressed concerns about how changes in his life and environment might impact his music. This vulnerability could be evidence of the organic and fluid nature of his creative process. On the other hand, Burial’s approach seems to involve a deliberate effort to bring back and preserve elements of the past, or perhaps his fantasy of someone else’s past.
While KMRU records sound without a specific goal, Burial follows a similar aesthetic but aims to make his music evoke certain feelings. But both of them draw inspiration from their surroundings, being yet another example of how background and environment often shape the art of someone who feels connected to their place. Despite their differences, both artists bring a unique touch to music production, which works best for them as musicians and individuals.
Resident Advisor. “Burial’s Untrue: The Making of a Masterpiece.” YouTube, 6 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et5B-zfAIIo Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
Michaels, Sean. “Burial’s Identity Revealed via MySpace.” The Guardian, 6 Aug. 2008, www.theguardian.com/music/2008/aug/06/burial.myspace. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
“Burial’s “Untrue” at 15: Artists Reflect on Their Favourite Tracks and the Album’s Unwavering Influence.” Crack Magazine, 4 Nov. 2022, crackmagazine.net/article/lists/burials-untrue-at-15-artists-reflect-on-their-favourite-tracks-and-the-albums-enduring-influence/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2023.
Ableton. “KMRU: Spaces.” Www.youtube.com, 16 Nov. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxRbgvRNoS4 Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
Kayanda, Chia. “Part 2: Debunk Speaks to Joseph Kamaru-KMRU.” Debunk Media, 23 Feb. 2023, debunk.media/part-2-debunk-speaks-to-joseph-kamaru-kmru/ Accessed 19 Nov. 2023.