Kiran Leonard’s first album on Moshi Moshi Records, Grapefruit, follows a flurry of recent output. Just go to his bandcamp page and you’ll be astounded at the amount of EPs he’s produced in his tender years, and that collection of recordings doesn’t even include the 2012 debut album, Bowler Hat Soup.

Leonard is a bold musician who seems determined to get his ideas across, yet not water down or edit anything out. Sometimes that can be exhilarating and vital, at others slightly forced and naïve. It’s never dull, though.

Secret Police begins proceedings as almost faux cabaret before exploding into a military drilling of snares and crashing cymbals. Like a great deal of Leonard’s writing, it is splitting at the seams with ideas and impetus and proves to be an attention-grabbing opener.

16 minute tour-de-force Pink Fruit follows and serves as the one of album’s defining moments. This song is incredibly ambitious and, for the most part, underpins that ambition with quality – be it through awesomely unorthodox guitar work in the vein of Minor Forest or Don Caballero, or the exciting changes of tempo and time signature, to constantly engage and sometimes challenge the listener. In fact, there’s so much on offer in Pink Fruit that it’s not far off a mini album in itself, revealing new bits of magic and fresh ideas on repeated listens.

Don’t Make Friends With Good People is the other focal point of Grapefruit, although it clocks in at a slightly more modest 9 minutes. Again, there are multiple sections and some furious, sparkling riffs. Beginning with a strongly baroque flavour, the song builds eerily with an introduction of droning and mandolin (a marriage that inexplicably works) and then suddenly takes off with a drum fill that sounds like it’s being played with every ounce of the drummer’s being. The synergy within the band is enthralling and creates moments of pure, unadulterated glory reminiscent of early noughties post punk/hardcore band, And None Of Them Knew They Were Robots. The most magical of all moments is saved for a heavenly piano breakdown and subsequent build at the song’s halfway point. It’s a ghostly, beautiful and wholly unexpected passage of chords over one of Leonard’s most unassuming riffs. It’s a glorious combination of classical and punk – elements that shouldn’t intertwine so elegantly, but shine in Leonard’s capable hands.

As you may already have gathered, Kiran Leonard is not afraid to put himself out there. There are moments where it’s not entirely obvious what he’s trying to do, like on the Polka-infused Öndör Gongor, but there are also songs such as Caiaphas in Fetters and Half-Ruined Already that are stripped to the bone, warts and all, right in front of you. No production, just naked vocals (and some thoughtfully arranged strings in the case of Caiaphas in Fetters).

Exeter Services is good old-fashioned hardcore – bristling with energy and intent, and a good dose of thuggery. Again, there’s no real production to speak of, just well-captured performance that always seems on the verge of collapsing. Album closer, Fireplace possesses similar qualities and is built around a foreboding riff that constantly threatens to fall in on itself like an igloo melting slowly in the sun or a house on an eroding cliff edge. Drumsticks whirl, strings fizz and pop, and bass bumbles and buzzes as the band somehow manage to hold off from slipping into the abyss of chaos. It’s a balancing act that can both inspire and frustrate, but it’s good to see artists take risks and play around with form to see what evolves from it.

Fireplace also sees the introduction of a fairly stern female voice – quite earnest in fact, but it does give the song a different flavour and something for Leonard’s voice to bounce off. The song naturally peaks towards the end, but seeks to resolve itself with a thoughtful vocal interaction that feels part improvised, part arranged, as it draws to a peaceful conclusion. Like much of what appears on Grapefruit, it’s an unexpected turn and it makes you appreciative of a young musician looking at guitar music from a new and different angle.
Adam Atkins

Read our interview with Kiran Leonard HERE.

Facebook: facebook.com/digitalsustain