Killian Ordono – Lovebomb (2026)
Lo-fi melodic rap is not something I’d ever considered to have existed until I heard Killian Ordono, but it works. With the new record, Lovebomb, Ordono offers insight into relationships and young love. Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, he offers a new and interesting take on musical expression.
The record kicks off on a promising note with the chilled vibes of ‘Prom Date’. Ordono’s vocals lend themselves perfectly to the dreamy back track of lo-fi beauty; it’s definitely a sound that lends itself perfectly to summer and enjoying the warm air outside, soundtracking those long days to come. Following this is a clearly personal expression of Ordono’s own mindset with ‘Decisions’. With his exploration of overthinking and emotional uncertainty, whilst still keeping his melodic style, he lyrically keeps you invested in the narrative he’s set out to deliver.
As the record continued, I was just lost in the sound with the next song ‘Sunrise’, but that didn’t last long as, unknowingly, my favourite songs of the record were about to hit back-to-back.
Starting with ‘Change in Me’, the change in tempo was refreshing, and the line “I can see through people” kept me tapping along. For me, this is where Ordono has arrived on what his sound is. It gave me vibes of Ghostpoet, a favourite of mine and a sound I’ve not heard since hearing the debut ‘Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam’ back in 2011, which honestly is high praise.
Next came ‘Strangers’, which mixed it up further with an opening guitar that had an indie guitar rock sound. It echoes throughout the track and pairs perfectly with the melodious tones of Ordono to form a perfect track. Then, completing this wonderful trio of tracks, ‘One More’ comes next and kicks the tempo up a little bit more, jolting you to attention with a foot-tapping beat. The music for me is the star of this track, with a rhythm that just captivates you.
The penultimate track, ‘Come Over’, is much the same with lo-fi vibes and Ordono’s unique sound. Seven tracks deep, and it’s clear this is what this Kiwi is all about. With the final track ‘Flowers’, I felt there was a subtle difference with a bit more showmanship akin to The College Dropout era of Kanye West, well before the controversy, when his talent really shone through.
Final word on Killian Ordono is that this is an artist who I can only see getting better as his confidence and experience grow, and the only way this can happen is with support. So everyone get ‘Lovebomb’ on to soundtrack your summer and share it at any gatherings you can.
Find out more about Killian Ordono on his X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Spotify.
