Kinwu & Koan the alias - Live From The Metropolis (EP) + 10 Questions
Kinwu & Koan the alias release their otherworldly debut EP LIVE FROM THE METROPOLIS, out now via Neoprene Genie, the experimental imprint from acclaimed author and multidisciplinary artist Tice Cin.
The EP’s story unfolds sonically through razor-sharp bars and dreamy soundscapes, with nods to the grime scene and the sounds of London’s streets. Basslines and breakbeats pulse beneath the surface, honouring the city’s rich underground heritage and its deep-rooted connection to UK rap, grime, club culture and the restless energy of London’s sprawling underbelly. A fractured love letter to the capital’s hidden corners and sensory overloads, the four-track project sees the duo build a vivid sonic language of their own; one that flickers between abstraction and clarity, storytelling and sound design.
Following recent singles ‘LIVE FROM THE METROPOLIS’ and ‘SUMAK’ - supported by Wordplay, CLASH, British Hip Hop and more - the EP lands with three further tracks.
‘NO RESERVATIONS’ is a jetsetter’s lullaby, with Koan the alias in full storyteller mode. It’s a half-hungover, half-hopeful narration that drifts through airports, charging stations and long layovers. “It’s the song that hits just right when your flight’s delayed and your battery’s dying,” Koan shares.
‘EVERY DEAL’S GOT A DRINK’ sees Koan at his most direct. “Similar to a drive through London,” he explains, “there are images of gentrification, late capitalism’s fading but persistent lure, biblical iconography... it’s some version of 2025 garage stripped of any facade.” The synths glow like city lights in the rain, while the beat rumbles underneath - tension, stillness, then forward motion again.
Across the EP, Kinwu weaves in ambient breakbeat, silky textures and unpredictable rhythm structures, creating a backdrop that’s both fluid and tightly detailed. As he puts it: “This one’s for the experimentalists, for people who appreciate hearing something different.”
Koan the alias brings a literary bent to his lyricism, full of tragicomic moments and razor-sharp detail. For him, the EP is rooted in “hysterical realism. Pockets in abundance. Synthesis and synthesisers. Live from the metropolis.”
The project arrives with a rich visual rollout crafted by the Neoprene Genie team, setting the tone for the label as an audio-visual platform for new creativity. The official video for ‘LIVE FROM THE METROPOLIS’ is directed by Tice Cin, flickering between stolen moments and dreamlike distortions. “I wanted to create an ecological response to the city,” she explains, “to show how we’re part of it, but never fully able to grasp it.”
The cover art and this accompanying photo story has been shot by Moreiya - a photographer who specialises in chronicling time and the author of TWO HOURS. Like the other aspects of the rollout, there's a heavy Daidō Moriyama influence.
A performance video and photo story were captured by Pyro, a multidisciplinary artist whose past work includes projects with Depop, Converse, and visuals for James Blake and Mount Kimbie. His images and film present the city as both backdrop and character – flickering green eyes in the dark, still moments on the move, presence within chaos.
Kinwu sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
Some of my earliest memories of being mesmerised by music was watching MTV Base and seeing the fantastical worlds that were built in the videos. Artists like Pharell, Lupe fiasco and Kanye resonated with me a lot. Emotive, thoughtful music that created scenes and leaned into a cinematic sensibility - I see that now as I’m older.
Channel U was on constant rotation too, that UK versatility to ride on any beat and constantly work with fusion. Endless discovery, pioneering as a DNA. How the MCs & producers would thread their influences together seamlessly and always give you something original. I could sit there and watch for hours. The tunes with loads of MCs from different ends going back to back, Pull Up Dat forward, When I’m ere’, What ends you reppin? Gash by the hour. Energy, creativity!
Rap was especially great to me because of the presence of sampling & the nature of the drums - It was a portal into the sounds before my time, and a means to travel through them in mind. How a carefully crafted 16 synergises with a soul sample. What it means to give air to a track through composition & allowing space for voice in the arrangement. Alchemy at it’s finest.
I spent a lot of my adolescence tapping into more experimental music in the form of Santigold, FKA Twigs & James Blake to name a few. Artists in general incorporated electronic production into their music in interesting ways, and showed you what was possible. Always seemed to come back to feeling as well.
When I got older, I came to appreciate neo-soul & jazz music through the likes of Robert Glasper (Black Radio changed alot for me), D’angelo, Erykah, Alfamist & Musiq soulchild to name a few. I still love the feeling of Jazz chords, and how they resonate. That’s something I’m working on bringing to the forefront with newer material.
Saint Heron was a big moment for me as well in 2013, super special compilation. I feel like it was the icing on the cake for someone like me that had spinning together so many sounds in my head. Works from artists such as Kelela, Sampha, Kingdom, Iman Omari & of course Solange that really stretched my palette and opened my mind to what was possible in a composition.
I’m still inspired everyday by what i hear both new and old, and the more i learn about music, the more i appreciate what I’m hearing. It’s even more fun to re-listen to older projects and take in new details I hadn’t heard before.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
Kelela
James Blake
Flying Lotus
Erykah Badu
Robert Glasper
3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?
LIVE FROM THE METROPOLIS - joint project with Koan.
I’ll have more music coming out this year, sharing way more of my experiments. There'll be more fusion and more insight into my sonic sensibilities.
4. How would you describe your sound?
Ever shifting, malleable, a call to spirit, a house for emotion to live in, muted tones and warm fragrances. A way to stretch time and slip between consciousness. Active listening. Perfect for a long journey from Dusk to dawn. A little breezy at times, could be spooky if you’re not in tune. An ode to self-searching.
Ambient, Hip hop, Rhythmic, Electronic, rap palettes.
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
Falling in love with the music I'm making right now, shedding doubt and pushing forward.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
I’m still figuring it out myself, I’ll let you know once I have some.
7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?
Moreiya, Ashden, Temesgen, Demae, BXKS and Koan!
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
Mndsgn - Snaxx
Pink Siifu - Black’!ANTIQUE
Ahya Simone - Neptunian Blue
Voice Actor & Squu - Lust 1
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
Spending time with loved ones, being in nature, exhibitions, laughing!
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
Keyboards, Mic, Guitar.