plushviolence by Kxster

Working across performance art, drag and music production, Estonian queer artist Kxster is not afraid to flirt with the darker side of sexuality, gender and club culture. Influences from club-kid aesthetics and the harsh actualities of queerness feature in Kxster’s music and performances, blending together into honest reflections of their personal experiences alongside wider social commentary.

Fledgling ideas from the soundtrack of their performance piece that reimagined Home Alone as a tale of isolation and paranoia eventually grew into “plushviolence” - their second release and full-length debut on Shelter. Kxster’s two contrasting artistic needs of exploring darker, more atmospheric territory and building fun-oriented propulsive club tools have been resolved by splitting each track into two alternative mixes - “plush” and “violence”.

In line with its soundtrack origins, “plushviolence” is meant to be experienced as one long continuous musical experience. Tracks seamlessly blend into each other and form a trail that takes us through plenty of spliced breakbeats, two covers of a classic Deftones tune and an earnest expression of queer angst and isolation.

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