Hilit Kolet shares how she uses Komplete Kontrol to capture her raw energy

London-based producer Hilit Kolet has built a reputation for high-impact, groove-driven club tracks that balance sharp sound design with a clear sense of fun. Her new Transatlantic Kiki EP with The Illustrious Blacks is a vibrant celebration of the shared energy between London and New York. The record fuses playful vocals, bold percussion, and driving bass with Kolet’s unmistakable mix precision and feel for rhythm.

Behind that clarity is a workflow designed for speed. Using Komplete Kontrol and the A61 keyboard, Hilit builds her ideas quickly and keeps the creative spark alive.

Her setup gives her instant access to her personal sound library and favorite Kontakt presets, removing barriers between inspiration and execution. The goal is simple: stay connected to the emotion that started the track and finish while the excitement is still there.

Jump to these sections:

• Launching ideas fast with Komplete Kontrol
• Tagging and building personal sound libraries
• Keeping the joy alive through quick, instinctive sessions
• Balancing speed with precision under pressure
• Blending live performance and sequencing
• Why Komplete Kontrol matters for club music

Below, you’ll see how Komplete Kontrol and the A61 keyboard anchor Hilit Kolet’s workflow. Find out how this software hub can enhance your sessions.

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When you’re sketching an idea, how does the Komplete Kontrol software fit into your workflow?

Komplete Kontrol allows me to have my favorite sounds at hand, which I can call up quickly. All I need to do is launch my default Ableton project. In it, I have the Komplete Kontrol plugin ready to go with my favorite Kontakt presets for bass, synth, and drums.

I combine these with my own sample collection, which I’ve been building over the years. I sometimes use those with the Leap sampler. I love how you can process samples with it, and I also really dig the interface.

I often hear that I have a signature sound. That could be the biggest compliment ever. I think that consistently using my own sample pool and saved presets as a starting point for ideas has really helped me develop that unique sonic palette and establish my creative voice.

Do you find that your controllers help you get sounds up faster than digging through menus or browsing with a mouse?

I used to jump through presets in Kontakt without the A61, but waiting for everything to load was a drag. The first time I cycled through presets with the encoder on the A61 was such a dream.

The tagging system in Komplete Kontrol helps you find exactly what you’re looking for, which is another big time saver. I’ve tagged my go-to sounds with my own tag so I can easily find them. It’s like having my personal sound library right at my fingertips, but I can still discover new things and tag those as I go.

It’s also nice to get away from the computer. Not being glued to the screen pushes you to use your ears rather than your eyes, and it’s just more fun. With controllers like the A61, I can jam and get creative rather than just click a mouse all day. I predominantly make music for the dancefloor, and this music is all about joy and pleasure. The process of making it is where this feeling should start.

You’ve said Transatlantic Kiki is “pure, bottled fun.” How important is speed in the studio to keeping that sense of fun alive?

It’s super important to get a rough idea down as quickly as possible. The best decisions are made when the core idea of the track is still raw, when your instincts are leading the way, and before you’ve overheard the track or pushed it too far.

With “Transatlantic Kiki,” – the title track on the EP – I laid down the beat from my sample collection and immediately felt like it needed a bouncy bass.

I used Komplete Kontrol to audition Massive X presets, and when I found a tone I liked, it wasn’t quite sitting right in the mix. Instead of opening the Massive X interface and digging deep into the synth’s structure, I just used the pre-mapped macro knobs to quickly adjust parameters like the filter cutoff, drive, and wavetable position. That ability to instantly tweak the sound without looking at the screen gave me the quick, tactile feedback I needed to dial in the perfect bouncy vibe for the track.

I used to avoid MIDI mapping because manual setup broke my creative flow, but the automatic mapping in the A61 has been a game-changer for my sound design.

How do you balance the need for fast results with the pressure to deliver tracks that stand out on a label like Rekids?

Getting a last-minute remix request is always an exciting challenge, and having my library ready to go means I can jump right into the creative part instead of getting bogged down in sound selection.

Having a deep and well-organized library with tagged presets is not just about speed. It’s also about quality control. When I’m in a rush, I know I can pull from my pre-made sounds that are already high quality and tested on the dancefloor.

This gives me a solid foundation and confidence so I can focus on the more unique elements of the remix, like percussive rhythm work or vocal arrangement. I can make it truly my own without worrying about the basics.

Do you use your MIDI controllers to play in parts, or mainly for sequencing and browsing?

I use the A61 for playing parts live as well as sequencing, and this dual approach is essential for my workflow. I’ll start by browsing and finding a preset and then playing a part to get an idea or a vibe and keep my creative momentum. This live jam captures that initial human groove that gives the track its soul.

I’ll then use my DAW’s piano roll to refine the idea, quantize it, and draw in more intricate patterns in order to get the polished, precise rhythm that club music needs. This ongoing transition between live jamming and sequencing gives me the best of both worlds.

If another producer asked you why Komplete Kontrol matters for club music production, how would you explain it?

Sound selection is so important in club music. The right sounds can make or break a track. Komplete Kontrol provides a strong starting point with its presets, but its real power lies in the ability to easily tweak them to find your own unique sounds.

Wrapping it all up

Hilit Kolet’s approach to production is about momentum. She moves fast, trusts her instincts, and stays close to the spark that made the idea exciting in the first place. That same spirit runs through Transatlantic Kiki, an EP that feels spontaneous, playful, and confident all at once. You can hear the chemistry between her and The Illustrious Blacks in every groove, from the sharp vocal phrasing to the bounce of the bass. It’s club music that doesn’t take itself too seriously yet lands with total precision.

That sense of freedom is what keeps her sound fresh. Komplete Kontrol helps her stay in that zone, turning workflow into instinct and inspiration into something tangible before it fades.

The result is a record that feels like a snapshot of joy, the kind of energy that only happens when a producer stops thinking about what should work and starts chasing what feels right. Transatlantic Kiki is pure movement from start to finish, and that’s exactly what makes it hit.

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