We have recently been featuring The New Citizen Kane for his intentional pop releases, including San Diego, and Ratbag Joy, so when we heard that the talented rising artist was back with I Don’t Need To Say, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves once again in his sonic universe and share our experience.
The Radio Edit of I Don’t Need To Say opens with a dimensional soundscape, almost like astral steelpans – soft and ethereal – before Kane sings, “Lost in your eyes, I could look at you forever…” with a brilliantly produced vocal bringing to life his captivating timbre, and passionate prose.
Thematically, I Don’t Need To Say explores the quiet depth of real love. Kane confesses how it is about the stage that comes after the rush of falling. In his interconnected sonic reality, the track serves as a sequel to his song Forget The World (from The Tales of Morpheus). Whilst that serves as an ode to the heady and all-consuming spark of new romance, I Don’t Need To Say continues the story from a more mature emotional perspective.
It’s about what happens when love deepens, and ultimately when connection moves beyond words and grand gestures, becoming something instinctive, unspoken and intimate. As Kane describes it, it is about true partnership, the moment “where love doesn’t need big declarations, because every look, every touch already says it all.” We love the depth that The New Citizen Kane creates with and the dynamic nature of the track – cinematic in nature and perfect for a major TV show sync deal – perhaps the upcoming season of Overcompensating, or a movie like Summer of 85.
In the broader world of Kane’s upcoming record, Psychedelika Pt.1, the track (which also comes with five alternate mixes) is designed to represent the album’s softer, euphoric side – a contrast with the darker and more conflicted energy of its follow-up single Eyes Wide Shut, which is out on October 24! Luckily, we have had a chance to preview this too! Together, they manifest two faces of love – one grounded in trust and connection, and the other lost in illusions and denial.
Eyes Wide Shut opens with a sublime synthscape, almost like a Lana Del Rey track, before Kane shares his introspective mind with us, showcasing his incredible vocals and the words, “you’re always on the horizon of my life…”. Again, the piece is cinematic, self-referential in his lyrics (we love his use of “chocolate”, which was previously a lyric in San Diego with the line, “Chocolate eyes that saw into the soul of me, stirred something and left me feeling restless…”
The production showcases pop perfection, as expected – it’s very palatable, mainstream-friendly and holds a high emotional quotient. The entire album, which we were fortunate to have a sneak peek of, is cohesive and narrative driven from the opening track – Welcome to Psychedelika, and ending with Afterglow.
Kane’s authenticity really shines through, as does his passion. He confesses, “After almost a decade away from music, I came back not as a career move, but as survival.” The talented artist makes it abundantly clear that Psychedelika Pt. 1 is more than an album, but a fully immersive universe where music, art, and mindfulness converge.
Across all sixteen kaleidoscopic tracks, The New Citizen Kane blends a unique and lush electronica sound with intimate storytelling that explores love, anxiety, philosophy and rebirth. What makes Psychedelika truly unique is its multi-sensory, direct-to-fan design, whereby fans gain early access to the album through Citizen Records, unlocking an exclusive interactive app that fuses music with visual art, games, mindfulness practices and community connection.
We love the universe that The New Citizen Kane is creating, and look forward to the official release of Psychedelika Pt. 1, in the meantime, we have added I Don’t Need To Say to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, and will be adding Eyes Wide Shut to both playlists, upon its release in less than a fortnight!