Strip away the production, the layers, the studio sheen, and what are you left with? In Kane’s case, some really solid songs. That is the whole point of this release, and it makes for a compelling listen.
Psychedelika (Stripped) takes nine tracks from Psychedelika Pt.1 and rebuilds them from the ground up acoustically, with two extras thrown in. One of those is “Beers & Bad Lies (Acoustic),” an early taste of Pt.2 that already sounds like it belongs somewhere in a late-night conversation you did not plan on having.
“Baile de Máscaras” is the one that sticks. Partly English, partly Portuguese, it deals with the kind of emotional avoidance most people recognise but rarely admit to. Kane does not dress it up or over-explain it, he just lets it sit there, which takes more confidence than it sounds.
The rest of the release feels like the production is covering for a weak song. Kane writes songs that hold up without assistance, and this project makes that obvious in a way the original Pt.1 perhaps did not. With Pt.2 on the horizon, this release does a good job of making you pay attention to what comes next. Do yourself a favour and follow The New Citizen Kane on his socials below, he is building something worth keeping up with and you will not want to be late to it.
Follow The New Citizen Kane: Instagram – Facebook – Spotify
