faux naïf
DJ | Producer | Promoter
The definition of ‘faux naïf’ is ‘a person who pretends to be ingenuous’ or someone who is ‘falsely naiive’. Kimi O is far from anything false or ingenuous in terms of the sound and vision behind her faux naïf alias.
The London-based DJ is one of very few artists in the city who is showcasing a deluge of goth, EBM, post-punk and darkwave via her Threads Radio show and pre-pandemic sets at the likes of Tresor, Gegen Berlin, FOLD, Printworks, Electrowerkz, Corsica and fabric London. Although electronic music tends to dip in and out of trends which can lead to artists adapting their sound and falling into the hype trap, Kimi has never strayed away from her niche aesthetic.
Having spent eight years managing the logistics and assisting the head Booker at Fabric, Kimi’s knowledge of music spans every conceivable dance-orientated genre after being exposed to such an amalgam of artists who would have passed through the doors. Yet her sound remained untouched during her time there, and influences of The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Vatican Shadow, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb and Boy Harsher never disappeared into the ether throughout her trajectory.
With such a strong sonic identity, she was soon booked to play at the club and made her fabric debut in February last year, warming up for Sunil Sharpe to supply a throbbing dose of EBM before the Irishman stepped up to the plate.
Heavily involved behind the scenes of each fabric event, it wasn’t long before Kimi took the leap and started her own series, mouthiimouth (MIIM), where followed an EBM-led booking policy in the form of Zanias, SARIN, Parrish Smith, Velvet May, Øliver & more headlining the party. MIIM filled the gap on the London scene and invited a plethora of local and Berlin-based artists to The Glove That Fits and brought an entirely different edge to the city’s saturated events circuit.
As it sadly looks like there will be no club events of any kind for the next couple of months, Kimi shares a collection of memories from the MIIM series and tell us what she’s working on for a marathon faux naïf show on Threads Radio at the end of the month…
Where was this photo taken and why did you pick it?
I may have cheated a little here with my submission - my chosen photo is a collage and memory of a concept which is my demure event series, mouthiimouth (MIIM), taken across the period of 2018-2019.
I chose this concept because it encompasses how I experience music through my own personal projects and why I persevere with faux naïf and running MIIM. The 4 events brought me much satisfaction, working with brilliant people, and most importantly the music has been my heaven at each event.
At the time of setting up the event series, the scene in London was rich with a lot of long-standing nights running and collectives setting up their own thing, a healthy music scene. I just wanted to be totally self-gratifying and set something up for my own enjoyment and curation, hoping that others would like these artists too.
What are you listening to at the moment if you’re working from home or if you’re still working out in the world, do you have a soundtrack to accompany your journey?
I have been quite nostalgic with music during this time. I recently found a bag of cassettes that span from my late teenage years to a few years back where the only place I could listen to the tapes was in my car. Now I have a tape player and I can listen in my room like a moody teenager, laying on my bed and remembering a different time.
Among the cassettes is a bit of old skool Metal, Grunge and Goth, an Industrial Noise compilation, an early EBM compilation, 80's pop tapes and some Hacienda / Factory Records tapes, there’s even a cassette recording of Irish pirate radio playing happy hardcore, which I am convinced is my cousins. I am also listening to a lot of radio as it is comforting having someone talk directly to me through my speakers. With that in mind, I have been focussing on my own radio shows a lot which is keeping me busy and I'm really enjoying doing them from home. I am currently working on a 6 - 8-hour Threads Radio take over which will air at the end of this month and I am excited about the guests I have coming on. There will be mixes and contributions coming from Regis, Qual, Randolph and Mortimer, Autumns + more.
The show will air on 29th May from 18:00 UK time. More information to follow very soon.
Working in music, the pandemic has obviously brought a lot of us to a standstill, however, I feel that it's been good to take a step back and re-evaluate. I think we will make the best out of the change and come back stronger, there will be more platforms for smaller artists and fewer headliners, which I think was needed.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, do you have a go-to track or style of music that significantly lifts your spirits?
I listen to HTRK. In fact, I pretty much just listen to HTRK most of the time anyway..!
How do you intend on celebrating once we’re out the other side?
I honestly have no idea. I guess by doing the obvious things we have missed during lockdown.
Any tips on how to look after your mind and body during this slightly stressful time?
For me, music has been true therapy throughout all of this. I've picked up my bass guitar again and started to play more frequently. It clears my mind, as does playing the piano. I also took some time to switch off from the world and have intentionally been off social media for a while. I think this has helped during a very saturated and noisy time.
I also suggest Tarot readings, Origami, Scrabble and practising the art of nasal douching.
Listen to faux naïf’s latest show on Threads here and follow her below: