Mixtape Review: KAETO - 'INTRO'
Kaeto releases sublime, sensational debut mixtape ‘INTRO’.
Every once in a while, an artist will break onto the scene that will take your breath away and steal your heart, which is precisely what Kaeto has done to me.
Scottish-born, London-based, Kaeto’s debut single Good Morning arrived in 2022, with such a unique and singular sound, she had the attention of many from the get-go.
Going on to support artists such as HAIM, Lauren Mayberry to much acclaim. She also opened for Bleachers on their debut UK headline tour back in March which I was lucky enough to attend. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and Kaeto was easily the best opening act that I’ve seen. From then on, I’ve been a fan.
With INTRO, Kaeto manages to do something remarkable, and quite frankly, rare too.
The opening track is U R MINE, which was released back in July. It’s fast-paced and shimmering, not many lyrics, but the ones that are present very much mean something. “It speaks to me/Hold your breath/Feel my skin/Until death.” The song is clearly about love of sorts, but what of what exactly is ever so slightly, wonderfully vague. Speaking on the song, Kaeto said: “The song itself is a love letter to the body and it’s right to exist without the burden of what it ought to look like to everyone else. I’ve spent so much time punishing and shaming my body, so it was really freeing to write about my gratitude for my body.”
KISS ME is the song that sounds most similar to her other work, but not the same. That’s another incredible thing about Kaeto, she has such a clear voice and strong sound, yet none of her work sounds the same at all, there are no repeats or fillers here. The bass is energetic and at the front of the track, more so at the beginning. Then, it fills out and becomes a gorgeous, mystical track about desire.
Whilst there are echoes of other artists, she is never, ever copying a sound and what she has created is entirely her own. DISTANCE puts me in mind of Fiona Apple, meeting an electronic PJ Harvey. Her vocal performance is unbelievably stunning, and the track is just so fantastic at building its own world and atmosphere. “Distance/Can I get a little Distance?” she asks during the chorus.
A personal highlight for me is the next track, ALMA. It’s a love song at its core, and one of the most beautiful I have heard all year. There is a gorgeous, twangy guitar all throughout, with siren-like synths that swirl around it. ALMA’s chorus is the very definition of ‘ear wormer’, and will have you singing it for days, just like it did me. “Your hidden names/I want to call/Into your arms/I want fall” she sings over the production.
CARRY YOU is another single, and it’s clear as to why. It’s also a love song, but more about the support that you give your partner. “I will carry you/My eyes were made for you” Kaeto sings in the chorus. There’s a lot going on in the track, as there is on most, but it never sounds messy or unintelligible.
And so, we arrive at my most-played song of the year so far, HERO. When I heard this live in March, it really did leave me spellbound. Quite literally, felt like Kaeto had cast a spell on me. It is simply a stunning track. The synths and rest of the production dance around in your ears as her ethereal vocals join them. “I want to feel like this with you” she sings during the chorus. Listening to the outro is like being welcomed into another dimension.
The last two tracks PACIFIST and YOMM are probably the most fun. They make you want to jump up and dance, spin around a room and just jump for joy in general. PACIFIST features soft chugging guitar and gentler vocals, YOMM is a track that demands to be danced to in a club.
On INTRO, Kaeto has created an assured voice, unmistakable sound, and a world of music that we should all be grateful for its existence. Already, I cannot wait to hear what she does next.
Words Lucy Skeet
