skaiwater set the new wave ablaze when he shared his wildly experimental EP, rave, this month (Nov. 11) — injecting the underground with a slew of Jersey Club hits, swoonly-sung guitar ballads and rage bangers alike.
Keeping the rave alive on his latest SoundCloud single “kids get hi,” the 21-year-old UK sensation has proven to be a trend-setting anamoly in the weeks following his debut project. Known to produce all of his music, the DIY specialist’s sound continues to grow more irreverent and ear-catching — utilizing distortion and club bounce to illicit an energy that caught the ear of Lil Uzi Vert (who’s also riding a Jersey Club fix).
Interpolating OneRepublic’s “I Ain’t Worried” — which has become a de facto Tik Tok sound for everyone on the platform — Skai sctinillates with more electro-laced crooning in the ebbs-and-flows of the track’s distorted melodies. Retooling “I Ain’t Worried” into a club-worthy dance cut, hard-hitting kicks and EDM waves slice through the young star’s signature layered vocals with tenacity — allowing Skai’s lighter register to shine amid the darkness of the bass-boosted outro. It’s a cacophony of creation at best. Take a couple deep breaths before you hit the 2-minute mark, though.
Amid touring with close collaborator Lil Nas X on the European leg of the “Long Live Montero Tour,” it’s evident that skaiwater is “#miles” ahead of his peers on “kids get hi.” Melding sounds with no limits, genre-bending isn’t enough to describe the budding voice’s prominence and future longevity in the game. While still making his way through the underground, skai is truly destined for bigger and brighter stages.
Listen to “kids get hi” below!
