It has been a wee while since we’ve heard from Masterton native, K.One (Kaleb Vitale) but on the basis of his latest EP release, hopefully it’s not as long again until we hear more.
Out Of Thin Air is named in honour of a quip Vitale’s Mother used to say as he was growing up. Whenever she was asked what was for dinner, the reply was always ‘thin air’, and it seems a reflective theme of the compilation, to be making something out of nothing.
The EP opens with Change, an understated beat and a lyrical line that feels like a letter from Vitale to his younger self, announcing that the ‘only thing that never change is change’. The song also includes a refrain with a gorgeous recording of him saying goodbye to his young daughters over the phone.
There are some beautiful track vocal features from both Brooke Duff and Sam Allen on Nothing On You and Save Me respectively and GTHA (Get The Hell Away) is a genuinely killer track – an upbeat, slick 80’s-pop feel and brilliant lyrical witticisms telling haters how irrelevant they are.
The closer, When It Rains is a down-step in tempo and feel, though is perhaps the most poignant and politically inclined and manages to end the collection on a hopeful note.
Out Of Thin Air is a masterful release, the cohesion and fluidity between songs is pristine - each piece feels complete in its own right, as well as in it’s placement within the song ordering and the EP as a whole feels somehow both completely personal and universal.
K.ONE Unleashed
K.One AKA Kaleb Vitale has risen from relative obscurity to his current profile as one of the countries most prolific hip hop artists. Heʼs achieved in a year what's taken others years to do. With his debut album just around the corner the young artist continues to exceed expectations.
Kaleb Vitale was based in Masterton (Wairarapa region) making a living in the Forestry industry as a Silviculturist in conditions both challenging and dangerous. He built a solid work ethic in this environment and spent long hours honing his musical craft.