Nº 41 mirror in the gleam – Kin Leonn

nature dreams, sings, of the moments of absolute clarity – alignments in the universe coinciding with the individual experience of living creatures. the subconscious web between all things, briefly brought to the fore. made luminous in a flash of benevolent light.

Known as Singapore’s “ambient boy,” Kin Leonn is ready to captivate his audience anew with his upcoming release, mirror in the gleam. Following his previous albums, Commune (2018) and Faraway Vicinity with Hiroshi Ebina (2020), Kin Leonn has left his mark with his production collaboration with Yeule on her album softscars, remixes for Moderat and Yunè Pinku, and his contribution to the original score of The Breaking Ice, a Cannes Film Festival 2023 Un Certain Regard selection, directed by Anthony Chen.

In his second full-length album, Kin Leonn delves into a semiotic approach to sonic storytelling. mirror in the gleam is a collection of mysteriously significant events and their metaphorical sentiments, crafting a unique empathetic folklore that offers solace in the face of modern-day disconnection. Each track serves as a musical ode to those moments of profound clarity that remind us what it truly means to be alive.

Breaking free from a fixed palette of instruments, Kin Leonn embraces a fluidity that seamlessly blends organic expressions with electronic textures throughout the album. Prioritizing mood and storytelling over technicality, he embarks on an ambient world-building journey where nature plays a pivotal role. Whether through field recordings, found sounds, or the mimicry of natural behavior through instrumentation, the album is grounded in the intimacy of the environment. 

Despite its ethereal qualities, mirror in the gleam is designed to resonate deeply with listeners, evoking a sense of familiarity reminiscent of a past existence or a vivid exploration of our current hyper-reality. Kin Leonn’s musical craftsmanship invites audiences to embark on self-discovery through sound.

Available on LP, CD and digital formats, Kin Leonn releases mirror in the gleam on 27 October 2023 via KITCHEN. LABEL. Stephan Mattieu mastered this record at Schwebung Mastering in Germany.