Live Review: Cyril Hahn ‘Begin’ EP

A native to Vancouver, CYRIL HAHN is no stranger to Australian ears having performed at Falls and Southbound festivals. His latest EP Begin is like a journey, with each of the four tracks taking you to a different place, both physically and mentally.

Hahn has put together remixes from some music heavyweights such as Caribou and Solange (aka Beyonce’s sister). Begin has been released in the UK & US by Disclosure’s label PMR Records. Needless to say Cyril Hahn is an extremely talented individual with some big supporters.

Emphasising the unique side to each track, Hahn worked with a different feature artist who provided not only vocals but also collaborated on the tracks production.

First up is ‘Inferno’ Ft. Say Lou Lou. This track has a very 80’s vibe to it featuring soft feminine vocals, keyboards and a busy percussion line. Next up is ‘Same’ Ft. Yumi Zouma is a very different track. The sound is like that of a dream coming from an old movie. The sound is scratchy like an old record played in a gramophone, the vocals sound deep and harmonised. There isn’t the same feminine quality of Say Lou Lou, however the vocals sound like a story is being performed to you within the track.

Track three, a little confusingly, is titled ‘Last’ Ft. Joel Ford. This is a powerful track with an electronic-pop feel. The beat is fun and incorporates so many sounds it’s hard to put your finger on its pulse. The smoky vocals make it pretty sexy overall. The final track is ‘Grace’ Ft. Kotomi and in some ways you feel like the EP ends with a sad note. You almost want more so you can have a happily ever after for the journey. The harmonised humming has a robotic, electronic quality; you begin to feel as though you are running towards something and away from darkness. ‘Grace’ is a very powerful song and proves the unwavering talent of Cyril Hahn and his ability to seamlessly collaborate with other artists.

The moral of this story is that ‘Begin’ covers any mood, at any time of day. It is available now on iTunes and has been released in Australia by the new label Of Leisure.

Words by Madeline Kilby

CHECK OUT MORE NEW MUSIC HERE

SEE ALSO:

YUMI ZOUMA ‘ALENA’ (RACE BANYON REMIX)

SAY LOU LOU ‘NOTHING BUT A HEARTBEAT’