Track Premiere: Kan Wakan “Phantasmagoria Part 1”

Phantasmagoria is the title of the forthcoming Triple LP from L.A. based composer/songwriter Gueorgui Linev who records under the moniker Kan Wakan (pre-order here). I met Linev a few years ago when I hosted a performance featuring Kan Wakan at KCRW’s One Colorado series in Pasadena. Within a few minutes of beginning our conversation, I realized I was speaking with someone who held a deep passion for all music, in all of its guises and structures and muses of the moment.

Clearly Linev is a perpetual conduit for musical muses, and we as listeners are all the better for it.

“Phantasmagoria Part 1 (the first of three parts of a succession)” is a sprawling, inviting track which makes the best use of it’s featured vocalist Elle Olsun, and the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra (there’s a horn solo towards the end of the song that I’m currently living for). Add in drums from Ian Chang (of Son Lux), and you basically have a perfect pedigree. Be prepared for multiple listens, and some delightfully lucid dreams.

From the artist:

““Phantasmagoria Pt. 1” is a haunted story of an empath, taking place in a dream-state – tall and obtuse, a movement through rooms, where walls are windows and doors swing enter/exit on whim-ful moments, making sense as its path unfurls yet perplexing to explain upon reflection.”

Let’s take a trip to that world right now:

(Photo credit: Emilio Guerra)