Florentino announces debut XL EP ‘Kilometro Quinze’

Florentino is releasing a new EP titled ‘Kilometro Quinze’ via XL Recordings on October 20.

The five’track EP includes collaborations with Shygirl, DJ Python, BAMBII & KD One, featuring both solo productions from Florentino and beats made with Baby Cocada and DJ Python, who plays with Florentino in the Sangre Nueva experimental reggaeton group alongside Kelman Duran.

Its title is taken from the name from his grandfather’s farm in central Colombia.

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The announcement is accompanied by the release of new single ‘Pressure (feat. Shygirl)’, a sweltering danefloor heater pairing propulsive production and bass-loaded foundations with Shygirl’s captivating vocals.

It also features his debut single on XL ‘Constrictor (feat. BAMBII and KD One)’, which came out in August, alongside three more cuts.

Speaking about the EP, Florentino says: “Kilometro 15 is the name of the road that exists closest to my grandad's farm, a lot of this record is inspired by my time there over the years. This almost nameless road, that exists near to a military base on one side & marsh jungle-like land on the other, represents an in-between place to me, a path to somewhere that feels like home.

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“Since the inception of Florentino on that farm years ago, I’ve constantly been chasing a sound in between the darker UK club music I was immersed in growing up in Manchester and the different styles of Colombian music my family had introduced me to. Growing up my mum would blare Salsa and Cumbia from Colombia whenever my dad wasn’t playing Dub or Acid.

“Making this EP over the past few years allowed me to tap back into my roots in a way I hadn’t done before. I’ve been able to really sit with the sounds and intentionally channel them in a way I have always wanted to. ‘Kilometro Quinze’ is me making my own mark in between the two sonic worlds, rather than chasing the idea of making something as close to what I admire as possible. It’s not one or the other, it’s both and something new all at the same time. It’s a sound I can call my own and can continue to explore deeper moving forward.”

Listen to ‘Pressure’ below and pre-order the EP here.

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Editor & Digital Director, follow him on Twitter