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French multi-instrumentalist FKJ (French Kiwi Juice) returned to Singapore’s shores with a full-out sensual house experience at the cozy Kilo Lounge on Wednesday night.
The nifty DJ known for his signature dreadlocks kicked off his set at 11pm sharp. As the fluorescent blue lights dimmed for forested visuals to take center stage, the saxophone played to a warm cheering crowd of mostly young couples and buoyant groups of female professionals.
It is clear why the Tours-born, Paris-based musician has amassed a sizeable following since his debut full-length release in March. FKJ may only have a single LP under his belt, but the electronic virtuoso has a way with resonance, alluring audiences with gentle smooth tones and driving beats. If there is a term to describe his music, it would be the epitome of feel good sex tunes.
The full near 100-minute set was a sturdy showcase of a well-honed musician in his element, interjecting soaring solos on the keyboard and saxophone. The French multi-hyphenate has somehow found a utopic middle ground in merging electronic elements with classical funk-soul. Ask any of the dazed fangirls in the crowd, Vincent Fenton on the saxophone is to die for.
Mid-way through his set, FKJ coerced the crowd in a communal freestyle jam. As the audience belted eh’s and oh’s over a looping beat, the improvisational maestro executed a climatic point in live audience engagement.
It was hard to hear his general speech over the muffled microphone, but FKJ made up well for it in an engrossing spectacle of a seasoned musician in control of his craft. Crowd favourites such as “Tadow” ft Masego, “Lying Together” and “Skyline” were also enduring in getting the crowd breaking down in unison.
The electric-soul music connoisseur closed his set with a remix of neo-soul singer Lianne La Havas’s hit “Unstoppable” along with a cheeky keyboard solo, conjuring passionate clapping and nominal Irish folk dancing.
An FKJ gig is best experienced with the company of a partner or a group of intoxicated boogie-able buddies. I for sure wished that I was in the arms of a lover, petting under the canopy of ecstatic soundscapes.
