DJ Kaito – “Signal Kommt” – a real stunner!

Simon Bohnsack better known under the pseudonym Destroyed Jeane DJ Kaito, was born in Hanover, where he followed his musical since childhood, learning to play the mandolin, harmonica and piano. An IT specialist and trainee retail salesman by day, DJ Kaito dropped his first self-produced and self-released single “6. October (Day of the Nations)” in 2012, which followed the “DJ Kaito Nr.1” mixtape. In 2013 he released the concept mixtape “Das Vermächniss der RST” which consists of syllables without meaning. This mixtape created a buzz for those specific type of songs, which became known as RST. Between 2015 and 2018m DJ Kaito went on to release successful videos, EP’s and albums which captured the attention of fans. He even headlined his own tours – the “Mahnwachen Tour 2016” and the “STOPP RAMSTEIN Tour”, a year later, which was also advertised on TV.

2019 sees DJ Kaito release his brand new 16 track album, “Signal Kommt”. If you thought all hip hop was crunk gangsta, coastal wars, trap and mumble rap, or whatever other misconception about the genre you could throw in there, think again. Sure, about 90 percent of commercial hip-hop deals with strong sexual themes, and a fair amount of underground hip-hop does as well.

If that alone doesn’t discredit any sort of artistic value, the repeated chants of a Top 40 chorus and recycled party beat certainly will. Even so-called independent rappers and groups are guilty of pandering with the above mentioned tactics from time to time, despite the fact that they’re often hailed as being “real” or “different”.

Simon Bohnsack aka DJ Kaito, however, is different. And real. “Signal Kommt” is a difficult listen, one that’ll challenge you from first song to last. If only for the fact that a large part of the album is in the German language. But then again, if you can follow American mumble rap, spitting in German should be no problem anyway.

You can still hear and understand DJ Kaito’s flow, his vocal nuancing, and catch glimpses of his technique, styling and overall mindset. The beats can range from straight-up rap style to all out experimental, and some even transcend genre. It is, for all intents and purposes, a complete album. The styles and mood shift drastically, from gritty street hip-hop, spoken word, intense emotions, and lusciously arranged songs.

The album is filled with stellar standouts, some of which include “Vier Sterne Deluxe (Single Version) [feat. Sintakk, Boozer & Tybalt]”, “Y T What You Have Done (Where are These)”, “Diss (Mixla Remix)”, “Truthrap (Single Version) [feat. Sintakk]”, “Nur so Irgendwie”, “Abrechnung Part 2”, and “Frieden statt Krieg”. The album may seem very scattered and hard to pick-up at first listen, but DJ Kaito flows with such a provoking style, filled with intensity, that he keeps you coming back for more.

His messages are discovered upon further listening (and Google Translate if you’re not German-speaking or go to Youtube here: https://bit.ly/35OOmzd ), but this is a treat in itself. You can also get a full taste of the rapper’s meaningless syllable style, on “RST ( ft. Si-to MC)”.

The album “Signal Kommt”, takes the listener on a journey within DJ Kaito’s psyche between his heart and his mind, and he’s not hesitant to show how he feels. Sometimes direct and visceral, and at other times, cheeky and smart – as a spoken word spitter, DJ Kaito definitely shines, as he rhymes both phonetically and through syllables, as well as using his accentuation of certain words. In short, DJ Kaito tells his stories and launches messages and anecdotes throughout this album, and does everything to make sure you hear it.

“Signal Kommt” simply doesn’t relent, as DJ Kaito does more than just examine himself, his relationships with other people and the way his world is working. This personal integrity is what drives the entire album.

Everything is enjoyable and fantastic,“Signal Kommt” is a real stunner for anyone who is digging into hip hop that spans across languages and the ocean. The “Signal Kommt” CD is Limited to 150 Copies worldwide. Special Editions are available at INICAT and Bandcamp. All Platforms can be seen on http://djkaito.de/signal