Kuren: Melting Conceptually

Kuren’s Melting Conceptually is a wide-angled capture of his production and songwriting understanding, holding some of the most unique hooks and drops of 2018 so far.
After a spoken word introduction from fellow Australian musician Ta-Ku, the 20-year old producer/multi-instrumentalist launches his debut album with the gradual intensity of ‘Virtual Connectives’ – a lingering, percussive piece that will no doubt become a staple of his live set.
Following this is the bouncing trap of ‘Flying Cars’, which so perfectly compliments the raw scratching of Ivan Ooze’s voice; a huge hype track which lifts the vibe of the album to an absolute high, right from the beginning.
However, I think it’s a huge risk having some of the best tracks right at the start. Through the middle, the album trails off with a few jarring tracks which are, although instrumentally engaging, somewhat too simple to be recognisable or timelessly enjoyable. Although, Kuren’s ability to structure individual songs is brilliant; a real testament to his musicality, despite his youth.
Thankfully the album revs back up to its expected pace after a truly lovely piano-based interlude and the softer, ‘Lose My Mind’.
The succeeding track is by far the standout – ‘Never Enough’ ft. Sam Phay. The dark and brooding crescendo toward such a heavy, head-banging drop matches Phay’s punching vocals; so far my favourite feature on an electronic track all year. This is matched by ‘Sweater’ featuring producer Twerl, with an unparalleled drop that further pushes Kuren toward the Flume comparisons he’s no doubt already receiving.
Kuren’s debut record constructs story through layers upon layers of production talent. For such a young artist, this album is a huge step forward in his musical maturity, and will earn him the respect that his processed songwriting deserves.
3.5/5
Out now via ONETWO
Reviewed by Zach Edwards