Moving On

Prepare to be wowed by the seamless amalgam of early folk, ‘60s pop, and orchestral balladry offered by this impressive Los Angeles ensemble. With the gorgeous, silken (but perhaps tear-stained) vocals of Kristianne Bautista and a huge cadre of musicians and contributors (saxophone, a variety of percussion, Moog synthesizer, strings, pedal steel, upright bass, and more), Kan Wakan is the brainchild of composer and musician Gueorgui Linev, who seems to have been raised on everything from John Barry (known for work on James Bond film themes) to Fairport Convention and Malibu canyon jazz and folk-rock of the \'70s. While Linev covers a lot of musical history in his influences—“Why Don’t You Save Me?” and “Like I Need You” sound like a cross between Dusty Springfield and Aretha Franklin, and cinematic tunes like “Forever Found” and the jazz-tinged “Sawdust” evoke early James Bond soundtracking—he has a truly fresh take on those influences. Linev even breathes a little downtempo chill into the sultry “Moving On” and “Are We Saying Goodbye,” while the “Midnight Moon” tracks slither and drift with delicious inventiveness.

Kan Wakan's 2014 debut album, Moving On, deftly introduces the Los Angeles outfit's unique brand of dark orchestral pop.

The free-wheeling debut from this LA-based trio is a winning concoction of dreamy atmospherics, bubbling grooves and orchestral arrangements. It’s a toss-up as to what will grab you first – the sweeping, sumptuous arrangements or Filipino vocalist Kristianne Batista’s voice, a grainy burr and the centrepiece of this likeable album.

Kan Wakan's debut full-length Moving On cruises along like the soundtrack to a scenic adventure. Often characterized by its lush, cinematic sound, the Los Angeles band started off as the small orchestral project of composer/producer Gueorgui I. Linev.

Review of the new album 'Moving On' by Kan Wakan, the album comes out on August 14th in NorthAmerica and Europe. The first single is "Are We Saying Goodbye"