Khushi
- Text by Amrita Riat
- Photography by Adrian Morris
A kid from Islington who spent his childhood with a melody trapped on repeat in his head, Khushi unleashed his musical genius to rave reviews from the likes of Radio 1’s Huw Stephens.
Wistful London tones, string chants and playful percussion (“I just try to get a sense of the darker things that maybe people keep to themselves”) are rippling across British cities, reaching the ears of a nu-beatnik crowd and professional beat-droppers like Alt-J producer, Charlie Andrews, now responsible for Khushi’s latest release.
Intrigued by the boy-turned-instrumentalist’s sounds, we pulled together four of our favourite vids from his musical sphere.
Magpie
Magpie is Khushi’s first single and “structurally it’s the strongest song I’ve written,” he says. Directed by Ryan Goodman, the video captures that raw feeling of looking within and without thanks to a haunting script revolving around the relationship of an elderly couple. Its vibes perfectly match the contemplative rhythms of the soundscape, which had crowds at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen trancing at launch last October.
Berlin
Australian surf enthusiast Ry X has had many tributes to his name since debuting as an indie pop act, but he’s got a fresh accolade to collect. With its aching vocals, beautiful acoustics, tender pace and incredibly intimate video, the tenor singer-songwriter’s Berlin EP “is one of the most blissful ways of I can think of spending 2:51 minutes,” says Khushi.
Phantoms
Taking it to the next level with a dreamy piano intro and alternative percussion throughout, Khushi’s soulful title track is a melodic symphony of exhilarating sounds. A sultry start of bluesy neck swinging transforms into a euphoric crescendo of full-on head bopping, as seamlessly as the video switches from angle to angle of Khushi’s numerous side profiles. Peter Lyons, who co-produced the song, let his imagination run riot and got his freak on with the track also, check out his remix on soundcloud.
Hey Now
This trippy sound and its even trippier music video comes from soulful triumvirate, London Grammar, who Khushi spent the last month supporting on tour. The act is taking the scene by storm missing out at the Brits but retaining its cool with this ultra creative stop animation video; set in a dark forest where light sparks fuse to become floating balls of fur, transforming into full heads of human hair as more and more of them merge, toying with the concept of reincarnation and our reverberating relationship with nature’s energies.
Read Khushi’s story in HUCK 042.
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