Track: Landline
Artist: binki
EP: MOTOR FUNCTION (2021)
Released on: August 13, 2021
Watch on YouTube: binki – Landline (Official Video)
Views: 1,068,290+
binki – Landline
Baraka Ongeri, known as binki, doesn’t follow trends — he bends them. Raised in North Carolina by Kenyan parents, his sound doesn’t belong to any one scene. He’s pulling from post-punk, indie, funk, and hip-hop, but the way he blends it all feels natural. No label talk. No blueprint. Just music that moves different.
Landline is one of those tracks that hits before you even know why. It comes in with distorted guitars, a looped drum pattern, and binki’s voice — half-rapped, half-sung, all attitude. The beat is repetitive in the best way. It locks in and stays there while the delivery keeps shifting. Minimal and full at the same time.
There’s a kind of tension in the tone — like everything’s under control, but not calm. You can feel the frustration, the coolness, and the bite. The song doesn’t explode, but it simmers with that low-key pressure that keeps you listening. It doesn’t try to explain itself. It just sounds like what this era feels like.
Production’s tight. Justin Raisen, SADPONY, and Chasen Smith don’t overdo anything. Every sound has space. The mix feels raw but sharp — a little dirt under the nails, but clean where it counts. It sounds like something that could fall apart at any second, but doesn’t. That’s the charm.
And binki’s delivery? That’s the hook. Not because he’s hitting crazy high notes or spitting wild bars — but because it feels lived in. Like he knows exactly what he’s doing and doesn’t need to tell you why.
Landline isn’t trying to go viral. It’s just solid. Fresh, simple, and hard to ignore once it’s in your rotation.
The Music Video: Controlled Chaos
The official video, directed with a chaotic and colorful lens, plays like a Gen Z fever dream. Jump cuts, VHS aesthetics, digital overlays, and absurdist acting all combine to mirror the track’s anxious energy. It’s disorienting in the best way—like watching the internet unravel in front of you.
The EP: MOTOR FUNCTION
“Landline” is a standout from binki’s debut EP MOTOR FUNCTION, which further explores themes of confusion, self-expression, and pressure. Across just five tracks, binki proves he’s not afraid to take risks. Each song is like a different thought from the same brain—imperfect, jittery, fascinating.
Stream MOTOR FUNCTION: Available here
Production
Behind the scenes, the track’s got a solid team:
Produced by Justin Raisen, SADPONY, and Chasen Smith
Engineered by Jaclyn Sanchez, Anthony Paul Lopez, Ainjel Emme
Mastered by John Greenham
Written by binki and Chasen Smith
Raisen’s production gives Landline that edge — it’s not overworked, but you can tell it’s intentional. The whole thing feels gritty on purpose. Every sound has its place, but there’s still room to breathe. It’s not chaotic for effect. It’s controlled, and that control gives the track its weight.
Watch again: binki – Landline
Follow binki on socials (via FADER Label):
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Instagram: @binkistinks
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Twitter/X: @binkistinks
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FADER Label: faderlabel.com