Meow! Maltese Musician Releases A Moody Synth Pop Track Named After Her Cat Zoltan
You can’t really understand the bond between cat lovers and those furry creatures unless you’ve got some of your own. Kym Pepe – Malta’s latest synth-pop princess to grace the local scene, is evidently a huge cat lover and has dedicated her latest track to one of them – Zoltan.
If you’re even a little familiar with Malta’s small but mighty music scene, you’ll know the ethereal vocal powerhouse that is Kym Pepe.
When she’s not making a name for herself singing with eclectic Maltese band Brikkuni or belting out a duet with Maltese icon Maryrose Mallia on national TV, she’s finding her own sound as a solo artist in the world of electronic music.
Enter Zoltan – the second single of her upcoming debut EP. It’s a gorgeous feast for the eyes and ears, with earworm arpeggiators, classic drum machine beats and Pepe’s honey-dipped vocals.
It’s about her deep bond with one of her three cats Zoltan, she told Lovin Malta, which is the most camera-shy kitty in the video.
“He tends to follow me around everywhere and even sleeps on my pillow,” Pepe mused. “As most cat owners can relate, the lyric, sufek sar sufi refers to the cat hair which lingers on all my clothes. Demmek sar demmi symbolizes how much I think of Zoltan as forming part of me, like a family member sharing my blood.” We can definitely relate!
While the vocals and words were honed by Pepe herself, the synth and arraignments were by Jimmy Bartolo and bass by Olivier Degbriele.
Meanwhile, the video is equal parts moody, witchy and relatable. It follows Kym Pepe sitting adorned in a white dress, reading a book called “What Will You Do With Your Life?” while her three cats fight to catch her attention. She suddenly gets to potion-making, whipping up an elixir of cat-hair, the book and her clothes into a pot. She drinks it and we watch her take on her true cat form.
Directed by Andrew Schembri, it’s composed of Pepe moving in short bursts on repeat – like a glitching VHS tape. It’s simple and effective – much like the sound itself.
Kim Pepe’s debut EP will be released on 30th November via the same label Ultralow. This was supported by the Malta Arts Council.
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