Kyan muses on our dystopian culture of fear in new single "Neighbours"
It might be hard for Kyan to top his 2018 – hey, we can't all get studio time with Nile Rodgers! – but astounding new single "Neighbours" suggests he's willing to try.
"Neighbours" is a track tense in its minimalism, building drama through judicious sparcity. Kyan's distinctive voice is flanked by ominous bass and distant, echoing backing vocals as it arcs toward a menacing electronic break in place of a chorus. Even this suspenseful segment stays somewhat subdued – it's certainly not overwrought, yet is nonetheless hair-raising in its menace.
"'Neighbours' observes a world in which we increasingly fear one another – 'This room is the only thing we trust, because the TV says the world up there is still too dangerous,'" Kyan explains, quoting the track's lyrics. "It's a record that provides a glimpse at the slightly dystopian but not too distant future.
"The song began when I realised I was constantly being bombarded by negativity on social media. I started to wonder if social media was an ally of terrorism in order to promote fear agendas and gain votes or push a particular narrative. I wondered where would Brexit or Trump be without the fear that allowed their ideology to exist and then to flourish on such a scale."
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