Why Kai

Why Kai is the moniker of Oslo based composer and producer Kai von der Lippe, accompanied by drummer Elias Tafjord. With an upbringing and education in jazz and improv, and journeyman years making techno and house music, Kai combines two musical worlds in the making of Why Kai. Rather than creating repetitive dance music as an accompaniment to improvised solos, he instead creates carefully composed and evolving pieces where sounds from the jazz and improv scenes are seamlessly blended with danceable rhythms and deep bass, as well as incorporating field recordings. Why Kais debut EP “Deep Fishing”, released on Jazzland Recordings in 2021, was critically acclaimed by Norway’s connoisseurs of both jazz and electronic music, coined as “the sprightliest debut the writer had witnessed” by Subjekt’s critic. In May 2024 Why Kai released their first full-length album “Tourist”. The album was nominated for Norwegian Grammys 2024 (Spellemann) for best electronica album, was selected as Meat of the Week by Huey Morgan on BBC Jazz and was critically acclaimed by reviewers in Dagen Næringsliv, Gaffa and Aftenposten. Why Kai are known for their visually unique live shows, using live-controlled interactive visuals with input from cameras on stage, and MIDI-triggered robots as an integrated part of the concert experience. https://whykai.no/