Live From The Metropolis

London never sleeps—and neither, apparently, do Kinwu & Koan the alias. The South London duo just dropped their debut EP Live From The Metropolis via Neoprene Genie, the experimental label from author and creative powerhouse Tice Cin. It’s moody, surreal, and full of sonic detours—think ambient breakbeats, grimey nods, and bars sharp enough to slice through fog.

Across four tracks, the project moves like the city it’s inspired by: unpredictable, poetic, a bit chaotic, but always alive. Koan’s storytelling is the highlight—somewhere between a late-night bus ride and a postmodern novel. On “No Reservations,” he turns travel fatigue into art, gliding through airports and charging ports with a wink and a dead phone. “Every Deal’s Got a Drink” is his most direct yet—gentrification, garage, and gospel all swirl together in a synth-lit sermon on the modern condition.

Kinwu handles production like a seasoned dreamweaver, blending ambient textures with bass-heavy rhythms. His past work with Balamii, Threads Radio, and cultural studio paq works (Nike, Spotify, Red Bull—no big deal) shows here. The sound is cinematic, glitchy, and beautifully unbothered by genre rules.

Visually, the rollout is just as rich: Tice Cin directs the video, Moreiya captures the cover and photo story with a Daidō Moriyama touch, and Pyro (of James Blake/Mount Kimbie fame) delivers performance visuals that are pure London noir.

Koan’s already been championed by Sampha, Lex Amor, Kwake Bass, and DJ Oblig. This debut confirms why. Live From The Metropolis isn’t just an EP—it’s a strange and stunning love letter to the capital’s undercurrents.