KMRU

KMRU is a sound artist, experimental ambient musician, and DJ based in Nairobi, Kenya. His delicate, textural compositions blend field recordings and indigenous sounds with expansive, hypnotic drones. Initially producing beat-driven music, he earned international acclaim for his ambient works, such as the 2020 full-length Peel.
KMRU’s namesake is his grandfather, legendary benga musician and political activist Joseph Kamaru. He grew up singing in choir and playing classical guitar, then eventually began learning about computer production and field recordings. He also got heavily into dance music and would incorporate field recordings and vocal samples into his DJ sets and productions. KMRU signed with Black Lemon Records in 2017 and released the ambient house full-length Euphoria as well as several singles and EPs. By 2019, however, he had largely moved away from producing beat-driven work, although he maintained a club energy for his DJ sets. He became a regular at Uganda’s annual Nyege Nyege Festival and performed acclaimed sets at Berlin’s CTM and Saint Petersburg’s Gamma Festival.
His first vinyl release was Erased, a three-track EP issued by U.K. label Byrd Out in 2019. KMRU released numerous digital recordings throughout 2020 as well as two vinyl full-lengths. Austrian label Editions Mego issued Peel, a sprawling yet focused ambient work recorded within 48 hours, while Michigan-based Dagoretti Records released the more eclectic Opaquer. A third album, Jar, was issued on cassette by Seil Records, and the artist continually released additional drone pieces and shorter works. Logue, a collection of pieces written between 2017 and 2019, was issued by Injazero Records in 2021. Rapture to Rupt, an hourlong mix of music by Seefeel from the mid-’90s, was released by Warp.
Subtext released Limen, KMRU’s collaboration with Aho Ssan, in 2022. The artist then released Temporary Stored, which used recordings from the archives of the Royal Museum for Central Africa, as well as the album Epoch. Glim followed in 2023. ~ Paul Simpson