The New Citizen Kane - FREE To FEEL

​The New Citizen Kane

FREE To feel
self-released; 2026

By Jamie Funk
​

The New Citizen Kane seems almost constitutionally incapable of sitting still. His release schedule has become part of the story surrounding his music, with new albums, EPs, alternate versions, and remixes arriving at a pace that can be difficult to keep track of. FREE To FEEL, the opening chapter of PSYCHEDELIKA Pt.2, continues that run while giving it a more deliberate structure. Rather than dropping another sprawling collection all at once, Kane is dividing the twenty-song project into four connected sections centered on Awakening, Desire, Survival, and Release.

The seven tracks on FREE To FEEL deal primarily with the first of those ideas. Questions of identity, perception, intuition, and emotional freedom run through an EP built from electronic pop, synth-heavy production, and the kind of bright dance rhythms that have become familiar territory for Kane. PSYCHEDELIKA Pt.1 also leaned heavily on electronic production and a surprisingly large assortment of voices, something I noted at the time gave the album an almost mixtape-like quality. That characteristic carries over here, although the smaller tracklist makes FREE To FEEL feel more contained.

“Dream Logic” opens with a synth part that immediately caught my attention. The vocals hit cleanly against the production, while a number of familiar 1990s techno-style builds keep pushing the song forward. I always appreciate that kind of thing when it is used well, and Kane understands the mechanics of the build and release. “Metallic” moves even further into pop, with a hook and production that sound ready for mainstream consumption. “Into My Heart” follows a similar route, favoring an upbeat mood and an easy melodic pull.

“Ugly Alligator” was more my personal taste. There is a slightly darker quality to the track, even though the hook remains bright and accessible. “What’s Real?” is driven by another strong beat, while Kane’s version of “What You Waiting For?” changes the texture again by bringing rapping into the mix. The constant movement between vocal approaches keeps the EP from settling into a single voice for too long.

​That variety has become increasingly noticeable in Kane’s work. There seem to be several different vocalists across FREE To FEEL, including a rapper, although I could not find clear credits identifying everyone involved. I liked the variety regardless. It also connects this release to the larger body of work Kane has been putting together over the last couple of years. The earlier Causing A Commotion review described his output as a “restless streak,” and that description makes even more sense now. I’m not sure how he is able to maintain this release schedule, but he does. With PSYCHEDELIKA Pt.2 only beginning here, I have a feeling we will be hearing more soon.

Become A Fan

thenewcitizenkane.co.uk

Tweet