KILKENNY - NEPTUNE - International Music Magazine

KILKENNY explores love, mental health and peer pressure with mellow ambiance on new album ‘HYPO’

PORTLAND, OR – A vast array of production styles that explore themes of love, mental health and peer pressure make its way onto the new album from West Coast artist KILKENNY. Embracing the anti-hyper-pop aesthetic, this new artist’s project “HYPO” offers a more mellow, low-key side of Pop-infused sounds and styles that elicits a more melancholy and almost ethereal vibe. Across nine tracks, KILKENNY brings listeners along on a journey of self-discovery and introspection, while also offering an ambiance that’s ready-made for relaxation.

The project started with the single “HEADLIGHTS,” which he released in January. Not originally intending to create a full album, KILKENNY said he was curious to see what kind of response he would get from the release of “HEADLIGHTS.” He’s been an artist exploring the diverse sub-genres of Pop music for a while, and “HEADLIGHTS” was a foray into uncharted territory for him. The response he received was overwhelming, and he decided to further explore that sound and style through a full project.

The standout single from the album is a song called “NEPTUNE.” It has a sound and style that KILKENNY said he hasn’t really heard within the music industry before, and as such it’s a track that he’s extremely proud of.

“It just feels so unique and different, but still so captivating with the way it sounds,” he said. “I really believe it’s something people haven’t heard before. And within the lyrics I’m talking about my battles with myself and the struggles of getting over insecurities and bettering your life. It was born from a time when I struggling with anxiety and depression and that moment when it feels like it’s never going to end. This song represents that feeling of never being able to get over what you feel and fearing that you’ll never again feel happy.”

Among the standout sounds of the single are KILKENNY’s signature vocals, which are immediately identifiable for listeners. Stylistically, the way he does his vocals is unlike any other artist in the game today. He incorporates pedal boards and other various distortions to enhance the vibe he’s developed on the project, and as such offers listeners something truly original. Eventually he plans on branching out from this sound and exploring a more hyper-pop sound with a follow-up album in 2022. Ultimately, he hopes to offer fans music that encourages them to just be themselves and embrace their individuality.

“I hope my music represents that you should always be yourself, regardless of your flaws or any problems you’re going through,” he said. “It’s important to be you and do what makes you happy. At the end of the day you can have money or fame, but the only thing that can make you happy is doing what you love, not what brings you success.”