Josh Butler - KAHU

Renowned house producer Josh Butler has revealed the first edition in a 3-part, 6-track vinyl only series for his new project KAHU. The first vinyl – ‘Beaverworks’ is an intuitive, tribal club cut that draws on Josh’s experiences of Maori culture as a youth. KAHU – ‘Beaverworks’ is available at record stores worldwide from today.

As a limited edition project, KAHU provides Josh with the opportunity to exhibit a darker side to the underground house that he has become so synonymous with. The name KAHU comes from the Harrier Eagle of Maori mythology, adopted by Josh to represent his teenage years growing up in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. KAHU thus represents a musical concept with which Josh can explore ideas outside of what people may expect of him, with his works drawing influence from tribal rhythms yet manifested within a hard, stripped back and minimal style.

The tribal influence on Josh’s production is evident from the outset of the A-side ‘Beaverworks.’ Kicking off with a closed hi-hat pattern, the track steadily builds as a heavy driving kick is introduced. Tribal rhythms intertwine with contemporary tech-house percussion to create a truly unique and restrained sound. With pulsating bass and acoustic percussion meshed with drum machines and synths, the track takes on a new energy and establishes the precedent for the KAHU series. B-side ‘Corks’ focuses on a vintage club feel, again with an emphasis on acoustic percussion, as reverberating snares couple with manipulated, echoing vocals in a visceral, natural soundscape. With only a limited run of vinyl available for the release, this is an opportunity not to be missed for the discerning tech-house aficionado.

After the worldwide success of his track ‘Got a Feeling’ in 2013 Josh has consistently kept up the pace with busy touring and release schedules. With support from the likes of tastemakers Pete Tong, Kerri Chandler, Joris Voorn and Dennis Ferrer, Josh’s status as a forward thinking producer is well founded. Having just released his ‘Portable’ EP on Cajual Records, the third edition of his bi-weekly ‘Somatic’ residency on Pioneer DJ Radio, and now the first edition of his KAHU project, Josh is ending the year with a bang.

Tour Dates
Dec 18 – KB18, Copenhagen, Denmark
Dec 31 – Rainbow Room, Birmingham, UK
Dec 31 – Gorilla, Manchester, UK
Jan 1 – Fire, London, UK