Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Kiani’s new single “I’ll Fly Away” starts in a haze of a slow-rolling groove. The melodies slink around in the foreground, painting us a picturesque introduction that is fully realized in the imagistic video for the song, released this winter to a warm reception from critics and fans alike. When Kiani begins to sing, his voice merges with the instrumentation as though the two were separated by omnipotent forces for too long. Their reunion spurs forth one of the sexier harmonies of 2022 to date, and possibly the signature swing of this artist’s career so far.
While I love the instrumental patchwork that forms behind the lead vocal in this song, there’s no disputing that Kiani’s voice is what puts “I’ll Fly Away” into the top tier of new indie tracks this December. He’s aching with emotionality here; from where I sit, it feels like he’s begging for us to listen to his pleas, if for no other reason than to consider their applicability to our own lives and experiences. He’s transcendently relatable in this tune, but not by design. “I’ll Fly Away” is all about aesthetical contrast, and that alone makes it a one-of-a-kind listen this season.
Although I knew about the FIFA-influenced concept behind both the lyricism as well as the music video for this track beforehand, I think it’s more than obvious to most that there’s a sporting theme to the material just in the way it’s being presented to us. There’s no denying that our singer has an athletic approach to his harmonies as well as the beats that are made to frame them in this performance, and to this end, he’s reinforcing the mood of the music without having to exaggerate with any of the lyrics.
The music video for Kiani’s latest release concludes with the singer/songwriter bringing the harmony right back to the epic place it started from, but we do not feel as though the journey was for nothing. It’s a potent conclusion and one that hints at his return in the future. Though I was only just recently introduced to the music of Kiani, I think he’s going to be one of the more talked-about independent artists to come out of this era in international pop. He’s hitting all the right notes in this single, and if he can keep running with his present creative concept, he’s going to be in this game for a long time.
Julie Blakenship
