A bright breeze of synth ushers listeners into Ian Munro’s “Palimpsest: An Intro,” the one minute preliminarily track that opens his new EP, Liminal.  Airy and fluid, it sets the stage for a strong collection of songs just as an finely composed prologue to a thoughtful novel. 

A native New Zealander, Munro’s DJing style has wide ranging appeal beyond Australasia. After gaining attention from artists Skrillex and Hardwell, Munro set out to make this EP something listeners could sink their teeth into, something very in line with his intentions and aesthetic as an artist. 

This meaty, thoughtful sound is perhaps most prevalent in the third track “Murmur,” which Munro wrote, produced and sings. What emerges is strong beats paralleled with evocative vocals and synth overlays. 

The following track “Without Me,” which features Somber, plays off “Murmur” well, offering a more loop, psychedelic sound. The notes literally rise on the word “popping.” It’s a slick, modern number. 

Closing it all out is “Again, Again,” a track with the clearest vocals and most overt poetry. The mixing mid-track feels a little off-kilter at times, deliberating jarring. In some ways, this feels experimental, but at least it’s new. 

Liminal is a bold EP from Kiwi artist Ian Munro, one that feels very real and relatable in addition to being just a good listen.

Liminal is available from Good Quality Records on May 31^st. 

Follow Ian Munro on Spotify.