K LSY is an Italian duo with an upbeat style and feel-good energy. Their new release, “Hold It,” on Mantide, is a Jamaican-inspired tech house release. They are also skilled DJs who play regular shows, and we invited them for this interview to learn more about their sound…
You are back on Mantide with your second release for the label. Could you tell us about your new EP, “Hold It”?
K LSY: “Hold It” basically came from experimenting with blending a more electronic sound with Jamaican-style vocals. The groove started from a bassline inspired by 70s Italian rock music, and for the drop, we decided to record a catchy chorus sung by Pejo. The B-side of the EP, “I Heard,” is definitely the more energetic one. The organ riff was recorded taking inspiration from the Come Together sheet by The Beatles, while the vocal is a chopped and stretched sample from a scene in The Blues Brothers.
It would be great to know more about the vocals used in the two tracks that feature on “Hold It”, as it sounds like there are influences from reggae and gospel?
K LSY: Mannaroman is a local friend of ours who’s part of a Dub collective called Duble Spliff. One day we were hanging out at home, played him the track we were working on, and ended up recording his vocals in about an hour with a Shure SM58 mic. Everything came out really naturally — we couldn’t stop smiling while listening to him sing. For “I Heard,” we sampled the scene from The Blues Brothers where the main characters walk into the church and are “struck by the light of God.” In that moment, James Brown is preaching alongside a gospel choir. It’s such a powerful vocal — even when stretched, it keeps all its intensity and energy.
Tell us about your background in music, and how you describe your sound?
K LSY: When we were in high school, we had a band called Five o Five. Together with two other friends, we recorded an album and even did two tours in the UK. Our sound back then was inspired by the Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, and The Fratellis. As we grew up, we started exploring new genres and completely fell in love with The Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk— our biggest inspirations. That’s when we began producing electronic music, while keeping our indie soul alive. We’d say our sound can best be described as Indie-Dance.
How did you guys first meet, and at what point in your friendship did you decide to make music together?
K LSY: We’ve known each other since we were kids — we went to elementary school together and have been hanging out ever since, whether it was to listen to music or play it.
Piero is a guitarist and singer, and Alessandro is a pianist. We actually decided to make music together when we were around 15. Piero already had a band with two other friends and they were looking for someone to fill the keyboard gaps — and that’s how it all started.
What other record labels have you worked with, and are there plans for more releases on Mantide?
K LSY: We did our first releases with Bonnot, then dropped a single on Sirup Music. We’ll definitely keep working with Mantide — we really get along with the owner Dyno. He’s like a mentor to us, and our relationship started from genuine friendship.
You are also talented DJs, tell us about your most memorable gig, and what’s coming up in your schedule?
K LSY: During winter we usually play DJ sets in clubs, where the spaces don’t allow us to perform live. One of the most fun gigs we’ve played recently was this year at Fiesta Global, a festival deep in the Italian countryside with an incredible energy. Coming up next, we’ve got an exciting week of shows in Rimini between Altromondo Studios and Cocoricò, together with the JägerMusic Lab.
It’s been a pleasure talking with you, is there anything extra you want to add?
K LSY: It’s been a real pleasure for us too — thanks so much for the interview! We’ll be back soon with plenty of new stuff: shows, dates, and releases. Stay tuned on our Instagram and Spotify pages for updates. See you soon!
K LSY’s new release “Hold It” is out now, and can be purchased HERE.
