“‘How Will It End’ is the culmination of Imitation is Suicide,” says Kenna. “This is probably the most innovative song in the series, and in order to make that kind of music you have to work with someone like RJ. He and I make alien waveforms. It’s just wherever our imagination takes us.”

“Working with Kenna on ‘How Will it End’ was like it should be – easy going, with great results,” adds RJD2. “I was surprised at first that he picked that track, cause it’s got a strange change-up halfway through, but after the fact, I realize it’s kinda right up his alley. I’m excited for folks to hear the EP, and to get some more music going in the future with him.”

Imitation is Suicide is a unique, 3-part movement of EPs with a brilliant mix of multiple genres spotlighting alternative, funk, R&B, rock, and hip-hop meshed with electronic and an encyclopedic knowledge of pop melodies.

Donald Glover hops on the remix of Kenna’s “Relations”, via Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records.

“RELATIONS” Kenna Featuring Childish Gambino from KENNA on Myspace.

This is chapter 1 of 3 of Kenna’s Imitation Is Suicide EP series, and it’s produced by Chad Hugo of The Neptunes. The second volume will be with 9 of Hearts, the third with RJD2.

The Land 2 Air Chronicles II series is a continuation of the initial Land 2 Air Chronicles project released in late 2012. The second installment of KENNA’s three-part EP series is based on the Ralph Waldo Emerson essay “Self-Reliance.” In Imitation is Suicide (chapter 1 of 3), KENNA is stating the clear influences in his work to help define a musical compass while giving credit where credit is due.

Co-produced by KENNA and N.E.R.D/The Neptune’s writer and producer Chad Hugo, Imitation is Suicide is an eclectic mix of various genres spotlighting alternative-leaning funk, R&B, and hip-hop meshed with moody electronics.

Bay Area production team return with all new remix album/mixtape thing, where they reimagine tracks from Zero 7, PPP, Kid Cudi, Common, Kanye West, J*DaVey, Zo! & Tigallo, Janelle Monet, Wale, Kenna, Chromeo, and more.

Trackademiks Remix Tape Vol. 3 (Mixtape)

From the Haiti Relief Benefit….Directed by Shomi of IllusiveMedia.

The album starts off with pounding pianos and snapping drums of “Daylight”, mixed with Chad’s synth laser beams and xylophones, as Kenna cries out his lyrics without holding back. This leads directly into “Out Of Control”, built upon the backdrop of a Neptunes track you might find N.O.R.E on, combining it with a heavy, Coldplay-like breakdown, as Kenna’s wailing lyrics are sung in sort of a 80′s mod, new wave style. The excellent “Loose Wires” follows, with a ridiculous Neptunes beat that combines Timbaland like tribal drums, a bit of a b-more bassline, and an array of charactersitc, Skateboard P blips. While Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears could have had a bidding war over this beat, instead, Kenna transforms it into a eclectic, danceable rock jam, meeting at the crossroads of N.E.R.D., Talking Heads, and yes, Pet Shop Boys.

“Say Goodbye To Love” is a good, catchy lead single, but at the same time sounds a bit dated, as it leans too heavily on the Neptunes earlier, pre-packaged sound.  “Sun Red Sky Blue” is more of a straight-forward, ready-for-radio rock song, still packing the sound of Chad Hugo, but more tailored to today’s modern rock styles, with it’s building crescendo. Passionately and poetically, Kenna rants “Give me your sun red, sky blue / love, I’m falling into you…”. This is arguably the album’s best track and biggest potential mainstream rock hit.

Kenna slows it down with equally consistant results. “Static” is a piano driven song that finds the love struck musician pouring his heart out over eighty-eight synthetic keys, while “Be Still” is a more aggressive power ballad where he holds nothing back.  He really flips the script on “Better Wise Up”, doing a spot-on Radiohead impression, while the murky “Wide Awake” closes the album out.

Remarkably consistent, incredibly diverse, Make Sure They See My Face is the best album nobody will ever hear. Sure, Neptunes stamp of approval gets it’s foot in the door, but rock heads may frown at Chad and Pharrell’s programmed beats, rather than live instrumentation, while pop music fans won’t know what to do with it. But for those of us out there that enjoy the stuff that there really isn’t a box to put in, make sure you hear Kenna’s album. – D.T. Swinga