Kwes
Kwes ( /kwɛs/;[1] sometimes stylised as kwes, kwes., Kwes. or [o=o]. ) is a British music producer and artist from London, England. Kwes is also currently signed to Warp as a solo artist and released his debut album, ilp in October 2013.
kwes | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Lewisham, London, England |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | kwes |
Biography
Kwes began playing his grandparents' organ at the age of four and his grandmother bought him his first small keyboard aged 5. For his tenth birthday, he received a radio/tape recorder with a built-in microphone, which launched his interest in sound recording.[2]
Kwes has chromesthesia (sound-to-colour synaesthesia).[3]
His earliest synaesthetic experiences occurred around the age of 4 and he attempted to colour paper with the particular colours he was seeing when listening to music. These colours have been set since he first discovered his condition: "any form of a G-chord would have orange in it, and the other notes which are not G accompanying that G-chord would have an effect on the type of orange it is. Majors tend to be slightly brighter.[4] Same applies for D which is always – yellow/green, E which is Yellow/gold, F which is violet/blue, C – Blue, A – light blue, B – yellow/gold/green."[5]
Colour is not in my direct field of vision, it's more in my peripheral field of vision, so it's just something that's always going on; it doesn't annoy me, or it doesn't amuse me, or it doesn't make me feel good, it's a normal occurrence to me. But at the same time, that could be why I love music so much.
His synaesthetic impressions of his own music are translated in the artwork to his solo releases, including "Hearts in Home" and "No Need to Run".[7]
Discography
| Year | Artist | Title | Album | Label | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Lil Silva | Be Cool (ft. Little Dragon), Backwards (ft. Sampha), Colours, Still (ft. Sampha & Ghetts) | Yesterday Is Heavy (LP) | Nowhere / Platoon | Co-production, co-write |
| 2022 | Loyle Carner | Hate | Hate (single) | EMI | Co-production, co-write |
| 2022 | Auclair | All Tracks | Giramata (EP) | Amorphous Sounds | Mixing |
| 2022 | Selah Sue | Twice A Day, Full of Life | Persona (LP) | Because | Co-production, mixing |
| 2021 | Elan Tamara | All Tracks | We Can Fall (LP) | BOKKLE | Production, mixing |
| 2021 | Tirzah | Ribs | Ribs (single) | Domino | Mixing |
| 2021 | Zola | All music | Zola | A24 | Mixing |
| 2021 | Tirzah | All Tracks | Colourgrade (LP) | Domino | A&R (all tracks), mixing on "Sink In", "Recipe" |
| 2021 | Brodka | All Tracks | BRUT (LP) | Kayax/[PIAS] | Co-mixing |
| 2021 | Black Coffee | Never Gonna Forget with Diplo ft. Elderbrook | Never Gonna Forget (single) | Ultra Records | Co-production, co-write |
| 2021 | Virgil Abloh | Delicate Limbs ft. serpentwithfeet | Delicate Limbs (single) | Columbia | Co-production, co-write |
| 2020 | Landshapes | All tracks | Contact (LP) | Bella Union | Production, mixing |
| 2020 | Loyle Carner | Yesterday | Yesterday (single) | EMI | Vocal engineer |
| 2020 | Duval Timothy | Fall Again | Help (LP) | Carrying Colour | OP-1 |
| 2020 | Nubya Garcia | All tracks | Source (LP) | Concord | Co-production, mixing |
| 2020 | otta | All tracks | Songbook (EP) | BOKKLE/[PIAS] | Add prod, mixing, a&r |
| 2020 | Elan Tamara | My Eyes | My Eyes (single) | BOKKLE/[PIAS] | prod, mixing, a&r |
| 2020 | Denai Moore | Hail | Modern Dread (LP) | Because | Co-production, co-write |
| 2020 | Daniel Merriweather | Paradise | Paradise (single) | Self released | Add prod, mixing |
| 2020 | Nubya Garcia | Pace | Pace (single) | Concord | Co-production, mixing |
| 2020 | Selah Sue | All tracks | Bedroom EP (EP) | Because | Co-production, mixing |
| 2019 | LA Timpa | All tracks | Equal Amounts Afraid (LP) | O___O | Mixing |
| 2020 | otta | All tracks | after it all blew over (EP) | BOKKLE/[PIAS] | Add prod, mixing, a&r |
| 2019 | Daniel Merriweather | Everything I Need | Everything I Need (single) | Self released | Mixing |
| 2019 | Camelia | All tracks | Everytime / Sometimes (single) | Self released | Mixing |
| 2019 | Little Miss Sumo | All tracks | Little Miss Sumo (OST) | Walks of Life Films, Netflix | Composition, mixing |
| 2019 | Nérija | All tracks | Blume (LP) | Domino | Production, mixing, a&r, artwork |
| 2019 | Loyle Carner | "Still", "Desoleil", "Krispy", "Carluccio", "Ice Water" | Not Waving, But Drowning (LP) | AMF, Virgin EMI | Production, co-write on "Still", "Desoleil", "Krispy", "Carluccio". Additional production on "Ice Water" |
| 2019 | Arlo Day | All tracks | Bad Timing (EP) | Domino | Mixing, a&r |
| 2019 | Nérija | All tracks | NÉRIJA EP (EP) | Domino | Mixing, a&r |
| 2018 | Ragz Originale | All tracks | Nature (LP) | Mini Kingz | Executive Production |
| 2018 | Hilang Child | All tracks | Years (LP) | Bella Union | Mixing |
| 2018 | Tirzah | All tracks | Devotion (LP) | Domino | Mixing, a&r |
| 2018 | Kwes. | All tracks | songs for Midi (EP) | Warp | Production, write, mixing, primary artist |
| 2017 | Kelela | All tracks | Take Me Apart (LP) | Warp | Mixing |
| 2017 | Kelela | "Waitin", "Take Me Apart", "Enough", "Better", "LMK", "Truth or Dare", "Turn To Dust", "Altadena" | Take Me Apart (LP) | Warp | Additional production w/ various |
| 2017 | All We Are | All tracks | Sunny Hills (LP) | Domino | Co-production, mixing, a&r |
| 2017 | ELIZA | "Wide Eyed Fool" | "Wide Eyed Fool" (single) | ELIZA | Mixing |
| 2017 | Loyle Carner | "Florence", "Mrs C" and "Sun of Jean" | Yesterday's Gone (LP) | AMF, Virgin EMI | Production, co-write (on all tracks); Production, co-write and mixing (on "Florence") |
| 2017 | Coby Sey | "Petals Have Fallen" | Petals Have Fallen (single) | self-release | Add. production; mixing |
| 2017 | BILA | "Didn't Lose" | Didn't Lose (single) | self-release | Production, co-write |
| 2017 | Coby Sey | All tracks | Whities 010: Transport for Lewisham (EP) | AD 93 (Whities) | Co-mixing w/ Coby Sey |
| 2017 | Elan Tamara | "Long Walks" | "Long Walks" (single) | self-release | Production |
| 2016 | Solange | "Don't You Wait", "Where Do We Go", "Don't Wish Me Well", "Scales" | A Seat at the Table (LP) | Saint, Columbia | Co-production, co-write w/ various |
| 2016 | PAULi | All tracks | The Idea of Tomorrow (EP) | PAULi | Co-production |
| 2016 | Kano | "My Sound" | Made in the Manor (LP) | BPM, Parlophone | Additional production, co-write w/ Blue May and Jodi Milliner |
| 2016 | Hudson Mohawke | "Indian Steps" | Lantern (LP) | Warp | Additional production w/ Hudson Mohawke |
| 2016 | Samuel | All tracks | Luv Cry (EP) | Big Dada | Production, co-production |
| 2016 | Nao | "It's You" | 15 February (EP) | Little Tokyo, Sony | Production, co-write |
| 2016 | Rosie Lowe | "Right Thing" | Control (LP) | Wolf Tone, Polydor | Production, co-write w/ Dave Okumu and Rosie Lowe |
| 2016 | Samuel | "These Days" | These Days (single) | Big Dada | Production |
| 2015 | George Maple | "Gripp" ft. Kilo Kish | Vacant Space | Future Classic Pty, Virgin EMI | Production, co-write |
| 2014 | DELS | All tracks | Petals Have Fallen (LP) | Big Dada | Production, co-write w/ various |
| 2014 | Kwes. | All tracks | ilpix (EP) | Warp | Production, write, primary artist |
| 2014 | Moko | "Missing Love" | Gold (EP) | MTA, Virgin EMI | Production, co-write |
| 2014 | Shivum Sharma | All tracks | Flicker/Only You (single) | National Anthem | Production[8] |
| 2014 | Rosie Lowe | All tracks | Right Thing (EP) | 37 Adventures | Production, co-write w/ Dave Okumu and Rosie Lowe[9] |
| 2014 | Pusha T | "Who I Am" ft. 2 Chainz and Big Sean | My Name Is My Name (LP) | GOOD, Def Jam | Sampled |
| 2014 | Eliza Doolittle | Don't Call It Love | In Your Hands (LP) | Parlophone | Production, co-write[10] |
| 2013 | Kwes. | All tracks | ilp (LP) | Warp | Production, write, primary artist |
| 2013 | Valentina | All tracks | Wolves (EP) | Greco Roman | Production w/ various[11] |
| 2012 | Bobby Womack | "Whatever Happened to the Times" | The Bravest Man in the Universe (LP) | XL | Production w/ Damon Albarn and Richard Russell[12] |
| 2012 | Kwesachu (Kwes & Micachu) | All tracks | Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.2 (mixtape) | self-release | Production w/ Micachu |
| 2012 | Kwes. | All tracks | Meantime | Warp | Production, write, mixing, primary artist |
| 2012 | Speech Debelle | All tracks | Freedom of Speech | Big Dada | Production, co-write[13] |
| 2012 | Sunless '97 | All tracks | Making Waves (EP) | Abeano/XL | Production[14] |
| 2012 | Valentina | All tracks | Weights (EP) | Little Chaos | Production w/ Blue May[15] |
| 2011 | Elan Tamara | All tracks | Organ (EP) | Big Dada | Production |
| 2011 | DRC Music | "Customs", "Three Piece Sweet Part 1 & 2", "If You Wish to Stay Awake", "Departure", "Three Piece Sweet Part 3 (bonus track)" | Kinshasa One Two (LP) | Warp | Production, co-write w/ various[16] |
| 2011 | DELS | "Hydronenberg", "Moonshing", "Eating Clouds", "Violina/Bread Before Bed", "DLR", "Droogs", "GOB" | GOB (LP) | Big Dada | Production, co-write |
| 2010 | Dog Bite | All tracks | Machino Machino/Take Your Time (single) | Young Turks | Production[17] |
| 2010 | Elan Tamara | All tracks | Shadows (EP) | self-release | Production[18] |
| 2010 | Kwes. | All tracks | No Need To Run (EP) | Young Turks | Production, mixing, write, primary artist |
| 2009 | Elan Tamara | All tracks | Gold Fishes (EP) | self-release | Production |
| 2009 | Kwesachu (Kwes. & Micachu) | All tracks | Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.1 (mixtape) | self-release | Production w/ Micachu |
| 2009 | Kwes. | All tracks | Hearts in Home/Tissues (single) | Salvia/XL | Production, write, primary artist |
| 2009 | Micachu | "Outro" | Filthy Friends: Volume 1 (mixtape) | self-release | Production |
| 2007 | Jack Peñate | "A Good Weapon" | Second, Minute or Hour (single) | XL | Keyboards |
| 2007 | Jack Peñate | "Run For Your Life" | Matinée (LP) | XL | Keyboards |
Artist discography
Albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2013 | ilp. |
EPs
| Year | EP details |
|---|---|
| 2010 | No Need To Run[19][20]
|
| 2012 | Meantime
|
| 2018 | songs for Midi[21]
|
Remix EP
| Year | Remix EP details |
|---|---|
| 2014 | ilpix
|
Singles
- "Hearts in Home" (16 February 2009)
- "Get Up" (13 November 2011)[22]
- "Bashful" (7 March 2012)[23]
- "Rollerblades" (26 November 2012)[24]
Mixtapes
| Year | Mixtape details |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.1 with Micachu
|
| 2012 | Kwesachu Mixtape Vol.2 with Micachu
|
Live session duties
- Ebony Bones – Guitarist[25][26] (2006–2007, 2008)
- Bono Must Die now O. Children – Keyboardist[27] (2007)
- Jack Peñate – Laptop and keyboards[28] (2009)
- Kwesachu (with Micachu) – co-production and co-selector (2009–?)
- Elan Tamara – Bassist[29] (2009–2011)
- Leftfield – Keyboards and Computers[30] (2010)
- Bobby Womack – Keyboards (2012–2013)
References
- "Why Kwes's ilp is the one album you should listen to this week – video". The Guardian. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- (January 2009). Kwes. / [o=o].. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- Fitzmaurice, Larry (11 June 2010). Kwes: 'No Need To Run' | Forkcast | Pitchfork. Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- Dickins, Kieren (December 2008). Kwes. – A Tribe Called Next. A Tribe Called Next. Retrieved 2011-06-15. Archived 12 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Wright, Scott (17 June 2010). Dollars to Pounds: Kwes « The FADER. The FADER. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- (November 2011). 24 Year Old Producer, Kwes Collaboration – The Producers season 2 episode 3 – YouTube. Red Bull Music / The Producers. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- Erkas, Sinem (December 2008).SINEM ERKAS illustrator & graphic designer – Kwes record sleeve series. Sinem Erkas. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- "Shivum Sharma – Flicker". Dazed. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- "Introducing: Rosie Lowe - "If you reach that one person, your job is done."". The 405. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- Martin, Andrew (10 September 2012). "Listen: Eliza Doolittle "Don't Call It Love". Complex.com. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- (1 May 2013). "prettymuchamazing.com". Retrieved 25 May 2013.
- Dombal, Ryan (14 June 2012). Bobby Womack: The Bravest Man in the Universe | Album Reviews | Pitchfork. Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- Murray, Robin (10 November 2011). Speech Debelle Returns – 10 Nov 2011 | Clash Music Latest Breaking Music News. Clash Magazine. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- Recommender, The (13 October 2011). SUNLESS '97 – The Recommender. therecommender.net. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- » Interview: Valentina DRUNKENWEREWOLF. Drunkenwerewolf.com (30 November 2011). Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- Michaels, Sean (31 August 2011). Damon Albarn and DRC Music announce new Congo album for Oxfam | Music | guardian.co.uk. The Guardian. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- Machino Machino, the Kwes produced debut single from Dog Bite. Fuckyeahyoungturks.tumblr.com, Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- Saxelby, Ruth (28 October 2010). Elan Tamara interview: "Go with your gut instinct." | Dummy » Features. Ddummymag.com. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- Hokley-Smith, Sam (10 June 2010). Stream: Kwes, "No Need to Run" « The FADER. The FADER. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- Young Turks Records (28 June 2010).Young Turks — YT045: Kwes – No Need To Run. Young Turks. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- "Kwes. Returns with Songs For Midi – XLR8R". 2 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- Warp (13 November 2011). Warp / Records / Kwes / Signs to Warp, download free MP3 of new track 'Get Up. Warp. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
- Dombal, Ryan (7 March 2012). Rising: Kwes | Features | Pitchfork. Pitchfork. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- Warp (26 November 2012). Warp / Kwes / Warp / Kwes 'Rollerblades' available to download now, 7-inch out in January. Warp. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- Mercury Music Prize Recommends (November 2011). Recommends. Mercury Music Prize Recommends. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- "ClintClinty" (9 July 2006). Ebony Bones @ Anti-Social (Bar Music Hall) PT 2 – YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- Cafun, Evian (14 April 2007). Kwes,Forty Fives,EvIaNnAivE,BONO MUST DIE@ULU Video by Evian Cafun – MySpace Video. MySpace. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- mytaratata (18 May 2009).video Emission 318 2/4 – Jack PENATE – 318, jack penate – videos MYTARATATA.COM. MYTARATATA.COM Retrieved on 15 June 2010.
- Mottley, Elan Tamara (June 2009). Elan Tamara – Organ EP – Out 6 June 2011. Elan Tamara. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- Williams, Scott (13 May 2010). Leftfield interview – Neil Barnes talks festivals. eFestivals. Retrieved 18 November 2011.