Derek Kamm returns with four character-driven house cuts, uniting deep, minimal and micro house with the multidisciplinary world of his Mad Motel imprint.
DJ, producer, visual artist and Mad Motel founder Derek Kamm, professionally known as KidIsLive, returns with “Mad Motel 004,” a four-track EP arriving on vinyl and digital on October 2, 2026.
A 20-year veteran of electronic music, Kamm has developed an inventive sound drawing from deep, minimal and micro house while maintaining a style distinctly his own. His work has appeared on labels including Visionquest and 8 Head Records, while performances across the world have helped shape an artistic identity that resists being confined to a single sound or setting.
At the center of his current creative output is Mad Motel, the independent label through which Kamm brings together his music and visual-art practice. Rather than treating artwork as an extension of the music, Kamm personally designs and paints artwork for the label’s releases, creating a unified visual and musical identity around the project.
His story also carries a longstanding connection to Brazil, both personally and professionally.
Kamm’s mother is originally from Ipiaú, Bahia, while his parents first met during Carnival in Rio de Janeiro in 1976. Born in San Diego in 1981 and raised on Long Island, Kamm maintained close ties to Brazil throughout his life, with family and friends across the country. His wife is also Brazilian, originally from Curitiba.
That connection eventually became part of his career in electronic music. In 2010, Kamm lived in Rio de Janeiro, where he became involved in the city’s underground dance music scene and performed at local parties as a DJ. His time in Brazil also led to an appearance at Burn Intense Music Festival in Goiânia, where he shared the lineup with artists including Gustavo Bravetti and Toca Disco.
Now, Kamm channels more than two decades of experience into “Mad Motel 004,” a release built around four tracks with distinctly different personalities.
Opening track “DSCR” pairs swirling synth colors and bright melodies with a loose, shuffling house groove. “ETA ETC” follows by smearing and manipulating vocals into an atmospheric collage, supported by dubby beats that recall elements of early French touch. Percussive details, fills and celebratory energy give the track its playful character.
“Jacks Feedback” takes the EP into darker, later-night territory, layering its groove with neon synths and expansive cosmic textures. Closing track “He’s Too Tough” shifts the energy once again with punchy drums, lush female vocals, a driving bassline and carefully crafted synth work, bringing the four-track journey to an energetic finish.
Across the EP, KidIsLive moves freely between moods without losing the raw, personality-driven approach at the heart of his productions. Together, the four tracks reflect both the musical range of Kamm’s career and the independent creative philosophy behind Mad Motel.
With “Mad Motel 004,” KidIsLive continues building a world in which music, visual art and more than two decades of international experience coexist, while reconnecting a creative journey that has stretched from the U.S. to Brazil and beyond.
KidIsLive – “Mad Motel 004”
Save / Stream: https://ffm.to/madmotel004
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