8Kays released “Viking / Magma” through Interstellar Recordings, the melodic house and techno imprint of Insomniac Records. The two-track project marked the Ukrainian producer’s debut on the label, bringing together a vocal-led collaboration with Kyle Pearce and a contrasting instrumental production.
Released on November 1, 2024, “Viking / Magma” introduces two distinct sides of the artist’s approach to melodic electronic music. While “Viking” places a featured vocalist at the center of the arrangement, “Magma” focuses on instrumental tension, rhythmic drive, and evolving synthesizer textures.
8Kays Releases “Viking / Magma” on Interstellar Recordings
The release features “Viking,” credited to 8Kays and Kyle Pearce, and “Magma,” credited to 8Kays. Both tracks appear under the Interstellar label, which operates within Insomniac Records’ electronic music catalog.
The pairing offers a direct contrast between songwriting and instrumental production. “Viking” incorporates a full vocal performance, while “Magma” develops its character through percussion, bass, and melodic elements. Together, the tracks introduce the producer’s sound to Interstellar Recordings without treating the two recordings as interchangeable versions of the same idea.
“Viking” Features Vocalist Kyle Pearce
On “Viking”, 8Kays collaborates with Australian-born, Germany-based singer and songwriter Kyle Pearce. His previous work includes collaborations with Vintage Culture, Tube & Berger, and Klangkarussell.
The track places Pearce’s vocal delivery over a melodic techno foundation. Its arrangement combines a driving rhythm with atmospheric layers, bass movement, and prominent synthesizer lines. The vocal element gives the production a clear melodic focal point as the instrumental sections build around it.
Rather than functioning as a purely instrumental club track, “Viking” demonstrates how the artist brings a featured vocalist into an electronic production. Pearce’s contribution distinguishes it from the second track on the release while maintaining the project’s melodic house and techno direction.
“Magma” Takes an Instrumental Approach
The second track, “Magma,” removes the featured-vocal format and centers on the production itself. Its sound is built around driving drums, pulsing low frequencies, detuned melodic elements, and atmospheric synthesizer passages.
The arrangement explores contrast through texture and energy. Darker rhythmic sections create momentum, while layered pads and acid-influenced sounds introduce additional movement. Those elements give “Magma” a different identity from “Viking” despite the tracks sharing the same release.
The producer described the concept behind “Magma” in terms of strength and volcanic imagery, explaining that the idea of a volcano came to mind while listening to the music. She characterized “Viking” as a reflection of the melodic and expressive direction she wanted to pursue. The contrast helps explain why both pieces were released together.
The Producer Behind the Release
8Kays is the recording project of Ukrainian producer and live performer Iryna Shvydka. Her work spans melodic house and techno, combining electronic sound design with elements intended for both listening and dancefloors.
Before joining Interstellar Recordings, her release history included music associated with Afterlife, Renaissance Records, Anjunabeats, and Eleatics Records. Her career has also included appearances at electronic music events and venues such as EDC Las Vegas, Printworks, and Watergate.
Those releases and performances established a background for her first appearance on Interstellar. With “Viking / Magma,” she presented both collaborative songwriting and a standalone instrumental recording as part of a single two-track project.
From “Viking / Magma” to More Interstellar Music
The 2024 project was not the end of the producer’s connection with the imprint. She later reunited with Interstellar Recordings for “See You Move,” a collaboration with Leghet. That subsequent release provides another example of the producer working within the label’s melodic electronic music catalog.
For listeners discovering the artist through “Viking / Magma,” the pair of tracks offers a concise introduction to two different aspects of her production: one built around Kyle Pearce’s voice and the other focused on rhythm and synthesis.
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