Kendal on Nostalgia, Futurism and the Rise of Ritmo Fatale
- Undrtone Blog
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Kendal has never been easy to pin down. The French producer, DJ and Ritmo Fatale label boss thrives on the tension between past and future, creating a sound that’s both familiar and forward-thinking. With tracks like ‘Come to Me’, ‘Basorexia’, ‘Techno Positivo’ and ‘Set Me Free’, he’s established himself as a master of synthetic seduction, weaving Italo disco, trance and EBM into something distinctly his own.
This summer, he added another chapter to that story with ‘My Everything’, released on the Ritmo Fatale Summer Compilation. “I’ve always loved mixing influences and allowing sounds to collide,” Kendal explains. “For this track I put together a UK-style beat, a chopped-up RNB vocal the classic Chicago Paul Johnson way, and a saw lead that really throws back to the 2000s. The Drill was iconic for me as a teenager, and I wanted to capture a bit of that.”
Running at 137 BPM, the track hits Kendal’s sweet spot. “It lets me flow between trance, prog and techno,” he says. That versatility is central to his music, which always hovers between nostalgia and futurism. “Nostalgia for me is tied to the relationship between human and machine, from Cronenberg to Carpenter, with their imagery often linked to 80s synths or the cyberpunk aesthetic of the 90s. I try to keep that connection alive in my music, sometimes even by sampling those films.”
A catalogue of defining moments
When asked which of his previous tracks best defines him, Kendal resists narrowing it down. “‘Come to Me’ and ‘Basorexia’ are more Italo-infused, while ‘Techno Positivo’ and ‘Set Me Free’ lean trancier. Across all of them, you can hear my obsession with emotion-driven tracks, no matter the BPM or style. If I really had to choose, I’d say ‘Come to Me’ defines me through its construction, melody and minimalism, while ‘Techno Positivo’ shows how I bring Italo disco melodies into a trancey energy. Those two together probably represent me the best.”
That spectrum also translates into his DJ sets, where he merges styles with precision and emotion. “For me, a set has to have depth and emotion, not just the same style or BPM all the way through. I like to build bridges between sounds so there are peaks, contrasts and surprises. Trance brings cosmic energy, Italo Disco adds playful euphoria, EBM gives dystopian punch, and prog glues it all together.”
His filmed sets have amplified his reach far beyond the club. His Boiler Room 2022 appearance is still widely shared, while his ARTE Concert performance inside Brussels’ Atomium remains a career highlight. “Building a set for a stream or filmed concert is always a special challenge. The audience is wider, the length is often short, so you have to keep the energy exciting without it becoming flat. The Atomium set was only 35 minutes, so I focused on a trancey vibe, used my own tracks and some from the label, and built around that. It was really a milestone for me.”
Touring without borders
This year alone, Kendal has taken his sound across Europe, with gigs in Slovenia, Estonia, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Georgia, the Netherlands, the UK and Belgium. “Georgia always has a special place in my heart,” he says. “The scene and the people are so authentic. Playing again at Bassiani, which to me is the best club in the world, was incredible, and discovering the seaside at Kibe in Batumi with a nine-hour closing was unforgettable. Other amazing moments include our first Ritmo Fatale parties at Else, the best open air in Berlin in my opinion, and at La Terrrazza in Barcelona.”
Despite the heavy touring, Kendal remains rooted in France, particularly Paris, where he’s sold out Ritmo Fatale events at La Machine du Moulin Rouge, Badaboum and Trabendo. His Toulouse home base continues to shape his outlook, even as his influence expands internationally to North America and Australia.
The evolution of Ritmo Fatale
Founded in 2019, Ritmo Fatale has grown into one of Europe’s most respected underground labels. Its motto - “no past, no present, no future” - captures Kendal’s philosophy of merging eras and influences. The label’s catalogue is instantly recognisable, pairing club-ready anthems with bold visual aesthetics.
Running a label alongside producing and touring is no easy feat. “Balancing my life as a DJ, producer and label curator has always been one of the most challenging parts,” he admits. “At one point, I had to pause Ritmo Fatale to focus on my personal career, but this year the label is back in full force with new EPs from Austher, Karassimeon, and NewTone, plus a big summer compilation.”
The label’s sound has evolved, too. “It’s a little less Italo and more trancey and progressive, but always with the same aim of drawing from the past while supporting artists who bring their own vision. Now that Ritmo Fatale is six years old, it’s exciting to see artists who were influenced by our past releases come in and add their own inspiration. That keeps the label fresh.”
Looking ahead
For Kendal, electronic music is always cyclical. “I now have enough experience to have seen a trend appear as something new and then be recycled decades later. That taught me to take distance, and if I don’t connect with a trend, it’s fine because another one will always come where my music fits more naturally. Right now, there is great music everywhere, but also an overabundance of content. In the future, what will stand out is not marketing or content alone but creativity.”
Beyond music, he admits cinema could have been another calling. “If I wasn’t working in music, I would probably be in another creative field like cinema. I would love to be involved in it, more behind the scenes than in front of the camera.”
But music remains his focus. “The rest of the year is looking super busy with many Ritmo Fatale releases and parties across France and Europe. I am also spending much more time in the studio finishing my next EP, which of course will come out on my label Ritmo Fatale.”
For Kendal, the mission is clear: to keep weaving nostalgia into futurism, to keep building bridges between genres, and to keep pushing Ritmo Fatale into new territory. In a world oversaturated with content, his dedication to emotion, authenticity and creativity is what truly sets him apart.
Comments