Kenny Pahina is out with his brand-new EP, “NIGHT OF THE DEAD.” The EP has lyrical themes of self-empowerment and exposing societal pressures while living in a highly materialistic society.
“The overall inspiration was definitely to give my listeners a new dark, nostalgic but modern sound. But not only that—I wanted to give listeners a different genre within this dark universe and show how adaptable I can be as a pop artist. This also moves into the lyrical themes about how each track takes on new societal topics within the world we live in. “NIGHT OF THE DEAD” tackles topics like ageism, materialism/hedonism, and racism/misogyny—all lyrical themes I have yet to explore in my music from an introspective look.” – Kenny Pahina
The EPs introductory track is “Night of the Dead,” a song that Kenny Pahina took years to write and record. The sound is complex on this song. It seems like every second matters and was highly thought out. All the instrumentation flows well together and the overall sound is highly professional. This synth heavy track sounds like a zombie horror movie soundtrack, while weaving in catchy hook melodies with vocals that shine from start to finish. Pahina credits the Resident Evil video game as a main source of inspiration behind the music. However, the lyrics are uplifting and empowering and seem to be more personal than to be about a video game.
“The main inspiration was my love for the ’90s Japanese video game Resident Evil. So, I based the aesthetic on the vibes the game gave me and created an intense track that included a mix of dazzling retro synths for nostalgia but infused with elements of Drill to give it an edge. Usually, drill beats and themes are very violent, which the video game can be, but I kept the lyrical aspect more focused on surviving the dark times of our personal lives and reviving from that.” – Kenny Pahina
The intro song flows in perfectly to “Playas Never Die” featuring Hunter Magno. This song features a heavy hip hop drum beat while heavy synths fill in the same. The song could fit well with 90s pop sounds, and the hook melody is just as catchy as songs from that era. The lyrics of this song are all about living in a capitalistic society that values material goods over people. This song illuminates the stark difference between the celebrated allure of success and the harsh truth of pervasive poverty and unrealized dreams.
After the “PahinaRevive” interlude, which is quite comical, we move on to the song “Blade,” featuring Svexx. We hear another catchy melody. The lyrics of this song are also empowering, tackling the topic of ageism. Kenny Pahina reminds listeners that “this life ain’t a race, I’mma keep pace until I win first place,” meaning there is no time limit on meeting your goals and dreams. We all have time and it happens on different timelines at different ages. Age really is just a number.
The last track is a collaboration with væ. “Virus to Isolation – Duet” is the most rock leaning song on the EP. We hear organic sounding drums, heavy distorted guitars that lean towards grunge, as a smooth vocal floats on top. The song highlights some of the viruses of society, including sexism, gender-based stigmas, and racism. Kenny Pahina and væ call for empathy and equality on this stand out song!
“It was so much fun and different for me because I collaborated a lot on this EP. I usually record in my home studio and collaborated with different producers to get a woven mix of sounds to make each track the best. I got my friend Songstress V to do some amazing background choir vocals. I collaborated with my producer friends in different states—Rob Devious (Philly)/Rock Floyd (Chattanooga)—because they have so much raw instrumental talent. I wanted to try new things by getting together with witch-house producer Svexx and provocative emo-trap/alt artist Hunter Magno to bring out that edgy, dark sound I wanted. My longtime friend, Ilene, invited me out to her show in Atlanta, and she helped me record the faux-commercial interlude on the EP, which was so funny and new to us. We kept cracking up by how real it sounded. I also loved this track off this album from a new alt artist named Vae (“Virus to Isolation”) and got the opportunity to collab by remixing her track. It all came together so fast. The mastering was finished off by Mississippi engineers Shell Enns (CROWN STUDIOS) and Shane Thompson (SAT STUDIOS). There were 5 tracks made specifically for this EP, and I was so shocked my sophomore effort came out with all I wanted it to be. So grateful!” – Kenny Pahina
Listen to this incredible EP on Spotify now:
Written by Ryan Cassata
The post Kenny Pahina Seeks to Empower in Synth Heavy EP appeared first on ROCK THE PIGEON.