KMRU: Kin

Pitchfork

by Philip Sherburne

February 21, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Joseph Kamaru, known as KMRU, created his groundbreaking album *Peel* during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, recording six tracks of atmospheric drones at home in Nairobi. The album resonated deeply with listeners, including Peter Rehberg of Editions Mego, who described it as his personal soundtrack during quarantine. Unlike traditional ambient music, *Peel* reflected an underlying unease, with layers of activity beneath its calm surface—evoking imagery like colliding gravitational fields and invisible bacterial wars. This release marked the beginning of KMRU’s rise to prominence in the experimental music scene. After *Peel*, KMRU explored diverse artistic directions, including collaborations with noise musician Aho Ssan and dub artist Kevin Richard Martin, while also delving into historical and cultural themes. However, his new album *Kin*, released under Editions Mego once again, brings him back to his roots. Inspired by conversations with Rehberg, who passed away in 2021, KMRU paused the project but ultimately completed it a year later. Though not a direct sequel, *Kin* draws influence from *Peel*, particularly the track “Klang,” which was an outlier in its darker neighbors with its rumbling feedback and throb. *Kin* shifts the focus to ambient music as a dynamic matrix of vibrations, blending meditative tones with unsettling energy. The album opens with calm but quickly escalates into distortion and high-pitched melodies, creating an intense listening experience. Tracks like the three-minute opener and the 12-minute collaboration “Blurred” with Fennesz showcase KMRU’s ability to transform soundscapes into vivid, immersive experiences. This evolution highlights his growth as an artist and underscores how ambient music can evolve while maintaining its experimental edge. For readers interested

Verticals

musicculture

Originally published on Pitchfork on 2/21/2026