Interdisciplinary artist Kilo Kish has released “digital emotional,” the second single from her EP ‘Negotiations,’ via Independent Co. The track examines technological alienation and identity adaptation in our increasingly digital world, accompanied by an anxiety-filled visual that continues the office worker narrative established in her previous release “r3program.”
In the video co-directed with David Laven, Kish uses food as a metaphorical stand-in for conversation, creating a powerful visual commentary on the feeling of being unheard and unseen in the music industry and broader society. This visual approach reflects her consistent interest in exploring feelings of otherness and the lack of autonomy many experience in intimate matters.
‘Negotiations’ represents Kish’s first major release since her acclaimed 2022 album ‘American Gurl’ and focuses on creation in a digital-focused era and the burnout experienced in our tech-saturated age. The EP frames the body as a machine, exploring the transactional nature of energy expenditure where every output necessitates an input.
At its core, ‘Negotiations’ examines error and glitch as reflections of contemporary life marked by instability. Kish’s work suggests that our internal programming shapes our responses to change, illustrating that we all inevitably fall prey to our patterns amid digital and emotional noise.
Sonically, the EP draws inspiration from early hip-hop and electronic music techniques like skipping, scratching, vocal processing, and modular synthesizers, creating a balance between mechanical elements and humanity. This approach perfectly complements the thematic exploration of technology’s impact on human experience.
Born Lakisha Kimberly Robinson in 1990, Kilo Kish has established herself as a boundary-pushing creative force across multiple disciplines. After studying textile design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Kish began pursuing music when her roommates set up an in-home studio project called the “Kool Kats Klub.”
Since her debut EP ‘Homeschool’ in 2012, she has released several projects including her 2016 debut album ‘Reflections in Real Time’ and 2022’s ‘American Gurl.’ Beyond music, Kish is also a visual artist and designer whose work has been exhibited at prestigious institutions including The Getty Center, The Hammer Museum, and the Museum of Image.
Kish is currently curating a residency with Womxn In Windows at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles. The exhibition, “American Gurl: home–land,” presents six short films negotiating land, diaspora, and displacement from artists including Melvonna Ballenger, Shenny De Los Angeles, and Solange Knowles.
Her visual aesthetic often incorporates character development and world-building to represent complex ideas and metaphors. The office worker character featured in her recent videos has been a recurring motif since 2016, connecting to the corporate-themed visuals from her ‘Reflections in Real Time’ era and speaking to themes of working-class resilience.
Kish’s work consistently garners critical praise for its ability to transform existential complexities into accessible yet thought-provoking art. Her music creates trance-like experiences that suggest the possibility of renewal and transformation, while her evolving sound demonstrates remarkable artistic growth with each release.