Since he began putting out music as Palmbomen in 2011, Dutch artist and producer Kai Hugo has been pegged by bloggers and industry nerds as a proponent of that notoriously amorphous, dreamily DIY chillwave sound.
Making use of layered synth textures and adopting the old-school bedroom aesthetic of early-'80s new wave and disco offshoots, Palmbomen's music is pleasantly atmospheric, with just the right touches of kitschy psychedelia and clubby bounce to make it great for zoning out, swinging your head low, and sipping a cool beverage on a hot afternoon.
Hugo also DJ's under the Palmbomen moniker and brings a more stripped-out, dance-floor-ready sound to his sets. This Thursday, he'll hit the carpet at Bardot as part of a string of U.S. tour dates. So we spoke with him about the music scene in Berlin, the evolution of his sound, and why dancing is like therapy.
See also:
-Palmbomen Talks Hard-Working Dance Music: "I'm Sweating Like Crazy"