If we enjoy naming Polygonia “Mother Nature”, Kynsie could be nicknamed “Mother Creativity”. With Reunionnese and Ivorian roots, she grew up in France in a multicultural environment, plunged into the world of dance – and therefore music – at a very young age. From traditional Afrikan dance to hip-hop to modern-Jazz, she lived a rich formation which allows her today to be her own choreographer and to improvise spectacular contemporary acts. “Dance has never really left me and is an integral part of my life”, she says, before adding: “It is the main medium through which I express myself, explore and evolve. My body is my temple, where meditation, movement, dance and music grow my spiritual path. Even if I have also studied cultural mediation and photography, my various activities have always brought me back to dance.”
In 2016, she joined the very special Dharma Techno project, a strong legacy of the psychedelic culture, consisting of a week-long retreat in nature where the attendees learn to reconnect with silence and live meditation sessions, before enjoying some tribal techno and acid house. Kynsie ran a workshop on movement over there. In 2019, she learned to link dance with a Chinese Internal martial art called “Qigong”, focused on body posture and breathing in a search to balance life energies.
From all these experiences came “Wave Arising” in 2021, an original project crafted by an improbable duo of artists: 69db on one side, capable to improvise very impressive live acts (such as this one), and Kynsie on the other side, creating a physical and spiritual connection between the music and the movement (with a filmed example here).
In the present chart, we have changed our “classic topics” to adapt ourselves to her special creativity. In the list that she proposes, we can feel her long love story with music, as she took the time to prepare a very personal and interesting journey in her image: original, warm and passionate.
THEMATIC SELECTION
MEDITATION
Varuna – Labyrinth of Nuanto [Amenthia Recordings, 2019]
Kynsie: Meditative with rhythmic elements, “Labyrinth of Nuanto” is efficient thanks to a never-ending loop and patterns which turn you into “Airplane mode” to make you slowly slide into a soft trance. This effect, subtle and well-practised in Chinese internal martial arts, consists of being “here but not here” while contemplating your own moving stillness. The trio of artists behind Varuna produce with a very personal touch and through this subaquatic dubby track, they beautifully expressed the sensation of flowing in limbo.
MOTHER NATURE
Ukujula – Mangwanani Side A [Self-released, 2020]
Kynsie: In this piece, raw field recordings merge delicately into a gentle tempo, giving the impression of being hugged by Mama in a secret garden. Landscapes, water, air, soils, fauna and flora are inexhaustible sources of inspiration and their artistic Ode reaffirms the therapeutic potential of both Music and Nature. Check the B Side as well; a different yet wicked vibe too.
REVERIE
Aucuba Replica – Of Piling [संस्कार Rites, 2020]
Kynsie: “Of Piling” musically translates to the moment when Life starts to properly awaken around us. The aerial voices, cymbal tints, synth repetitions and atmospheres construct a sense of the dawn of the day, while the Yin force manifests itself, initiating spirals in the mind and drawing shapes in a more conscious way than usual. Give it a try, you’ll feel it…
TRIBAL
Sindh – Koyul [Lowless, 2022]
Kynsie: Drums from the talented artist Sindh call the tribe to gather! This track is perfect to softly build up a circle dance or a future high-peak with undercover tensions and echoes. The hypnotic polyrhythmic structures appear as ancestors to guide us on an initiatory journey.
RITUAL
Kangding Ray – Onde Mantis [Stroboscopic Artefacts, 2017]
Kynsie: A while ago, I participated in a dance workshop where Kangding Ray played live. Back home, it drove me to listen back to his discography and while digging, I completely froze on “Onde Mantis”. I can’t put into words how much I love this track! Through its vibrations, strength and modernity, I feel that “Africa meets Berlin”. The rhythmic architecture, impactful and ceremonial, gives life to my home continent and raises my inner power. I would love to see some of my Ivorian friends dance traditionally on this one.
CHILDISH
Igacorosas – Light Quantum [Agos, 2021]
Kynsie: I remember Midori Takada saying in an interview “Sometimes one sound is enough”. In a way, “Light Quantum” embodies such minimalism. The piece, built around a daydreaming soundscape, always brings me back to a soothing cocoon. Made of subtle percussive touches, inviting memories to arise, the storytelling emphasises the connection between sounds and remembrances.
EXPERIMENTAL
Emeka Ogboh – We Die Hia [Danfotronics, 2022]
Kynsie: The multifaceted artist Emeka Ogboh, hailing from Nigeria, personifies “Afrofuturism”, from how he conceptualised urban art to the finesse of his compositions. His intriguing sound collages, textures and field recordings give space to sonic hybridizations in the mix or just for an introspective journey at home.
DANCE
Konduku – Swerve [Delsin, 2022]
Kynsie: This is a difficult topic for me because any electronic music track is “danceable” from my perspective, depending on the context and mood. So I decided to improvise on different pieces and let the body choose. Konduku’s track on the Mantis series worked its magic: the repetition of heavyweight beats reinforced by trance-inducing resonances and slow progression kept me physically grounded while being on a trippy journey. This is a particularly great combination to open up with: when we dance, we naturally translate feelings into movements that sometimes reveal themselves as subconscious narratives.
VERSATILE
Joy O & Ben Vince – Systems Align [Hessle Audio, 2018]
Kynsie: Very often, fusion is a driving force that makes you move forward. This is something we can clearly hear in “Systems Align”. While having essential hypnotic elements, the track completely blurs the genre and pushes boundaries with a mad electric saxophone and a dance-orientated structure. Such a mixture gives a very original result, with a good sense of balance thanks to rhythmic cuts. In music as in life, I am – and will always be – attracted by this kind of versatility.
BONUS – TOPIC BROUGHT BY OUR GUEST
TECHNO ORCHESTRA
Labelle – Oublie-voie-espace-dimension [Infiné, 2019]
Kynsie: Part of my culture is rooted in Réunion and to end my selection, I have chosen to present and highlight the Maloya-electronic genre, itself inspired by one of our traditional percussive music called “Maloya“. The present track has been composed by a local artist, Labelle, who brilliantly merges acoustic folklore with contemporary soundscapes. Accompanied by a whole orchestra, Labelle demonstrates his fine ability to blend energies and sonic frequencies. The high peak of the track, with the throbbing organ in the background, gives me chills and makes me think of Philip Glass’ musical world. “Oublie-voie-espace-dimension” is for me a true masterpiece!
WRITING BY: KYNSIE KINTE & CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 11 MARCH 2023
