KaneKilo – E$L

North Carolina artist KaneKilo releases E$L, the perfect blend of tradition R&B, trapsoul, and turn up. He wasted no time releasing EA$T Side Lover, dropping the project the first day of 2021. With comparisons to DVSN, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, and even Drake, any true R&B fan would love this project. One of our favorite things about E$L, besides the fact that KaneKilo batted 100% with no misses, is the beat selection.There’s truly something on here everyone can enjoy. On top of that, there are some really dope samples that you may recognize. Start playing the album now as we go through our song-by-song review below.

Broken

The melodic songwriter starts off the project with “Broken”, creating the atmosphere of pain, reminiscing on a past lover, and feeling lost. He sets the stage with a track that hits you right in the heart, immediately making you think about someone you may or may not want to think about. (fair warning!)

E$L

KaneKilo picks up the pace on E$L, identifying exactly what an east side lover is (not much of a lover at all). With nicely layered vocals and a dope cadence to match, he details exactly how he’s coming with these women. We actually didn’t expect a banger on an R&B album, but look no further.  Shawty bad but i can’t show her no love/she might cross me if she come in closer/I’m an east side lover, we don’t love em’.

After Party

Okay, maybe KaneKilo isn’t your traditional R&B artist, because we’re turnin’ up again on ‘After Party’. The upbeat bass filled song is most definitely a party starter, coming with a clear message’; the after party is the party. KK subtly shows off his [swag] rapping ability, providing dope lyrics that are really fun to say. Moral of the story, don’t let anyone tell you KaneKilo can’t make a song for the club. This is one of the most catchy songs on the project and one of our personal favorites.

Poseidon

That quick, we’re back to the R&B purists are used to. A perfect transition from the last record, the East Side Lover is not shy in telling women that he can handle anything they have for him during intimacy. He calls himself, Poseidon, the king of the ocean.  This track has proven to be the fan favorite, passing 100K streams in less than a month. It’s water just how I like it/ Poseidon, girl I’m Poseidon.

If we’re not mistaken, this song samples Meek Mill’s ‘Dangerous’ feat. PnB Rock, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Top 100.

L.O.V.E.

With another subtle turn, we move away sonically from the previous two tracks. KaneKilo channels his inner Drake with an interlude-style track that samples ‘Honesty‘ by Pink Sweat$. Kilo loses the tough exterior and starts opening up, letting us know he needs love like everyone else.

Only Fan

I think KaneKilo just fell in love mid-album. Over an emotional instrumental with slow chord progression, the East Side Lover sings of being someone’s one and only, or ‘only fan’. AKA, the one person you go home to no matter how many guys are in your Instagram comments on the daily. This is a big shift from the perspective on tracks like ‘E$L’ and ‘After Party’, but we’re here for it.

Lavish (feat. Westside Buzzin’)

The East Side Lover links with Westside Buzzin on ‘Lavish’. We didn’t get a chance to investigate for set trippin’ (joking), but these two sound great together. It’s pretty amazing how comfortable KaneKilo sounds on beats of any style or tempo. Both artists detail what lavish means to them, upgrading their bank accounts, women, and all around lifestyle. Westside Buzin’ drops off a dope verse to complement the record and KaneKilo’s vibe. We would love to hear another collab from these two if it’s going to sound like this!

Overtime

On track 8, Kilo may have showcased his best vocal performance on the entire album. The North Carolina singer hits every note perfectly,changing tones and keys flawlessly. This is more or less a minimal beat, so it’s nice to hear KaneKilo’s voice shine. As far as the subject matter, someone is spending overtime on Kilo’s mind. He goes on to detail the moment when you finally get some time together with the person you’ve been waiting for. This is overtime/I been patient.

All On Me

‘All On Me’ seems to put things back into perspective for KaneKilo. The initial rush and roller-coaster nature of the relationship starts to slow down, and KaneKilo is looking for direct answers and being very vulnerable with his partner. This is Kilo’s most honest song, coming clean with his personal traumas. He comes to the conclusion that things may not be as clear as they should be, and he may be partially at fault.

X

Closing the story and flowing effortlessly throughout, KaneKilo puts the past behind to live in the now. He realizes there’s too much out of his control to worry about. We’re not going to say too much about this track, besides it being a great outro to an amazing project. He touches on some sentiments that have been mentioned previously, this time talking directly to an ex-girlfriend.

Final Thoughts

KaneKilo is really good (like, really good). The artist has a polished sound, the ability to blend genres, an ear for beats that fit his vibe, and great songwriting/song-making ability. There’s really nothing missing here. This is one of our favorite submissions we’ve received in two years and it’s only a matter of time before Kilo gets more attention. If you got to this point and still haven’t streamed E$L, what are you doing? We have no doubt that with a major label budget this project would be making serious waves. So do YOUR part and share this greatness with a friend. We love to support emerging talent and North Carolina definitely has someone. Follow KaneKilo on Instagram to stay tuned for new releases!