Music Spot: XIN - Flow

From time to time, we shine the spotlight on a SoundGym member by reviewing one of their releases for our Music Spot feature. This time around, we’re looking at the debut single from alternative artist, XIN.

‘Flow’ is an incredibly assured debut, with a sound and songwriting style that recalls Coldplay, among others; this is a huge sounding single! A piano serves as the backbone of the song, providing a constant emotional anchor throughout. Stacked harmonies and layered vocals add a level of depth and richness to the piece, creating a multi-dimensional sonic landscape that is both compelling and intricate.

Electronic percussion adds a welcome contemporary touch to the piano-driven sound, creating a sonic journey that is both familiar and innovative. The lyrics are well-crafted and poignant; the song is about “letting go of the need to know and control our fates and futures”. The melody is undoubtedly tinged with sadness, but this is ultimately a hopeful song that is carried along by XIN’s soaring vocal performance.

From a production perspective, the song is extremely polished. The recording quality is top-notch, capturing every detail of the performance with great clarity. The mix is skilfully balanced, with each instrument and vocal track occupying its own space in the sonic landscape.

XIN has a manifesto of sorts; the exploration of “music as an antidote to melancholia and sadness”. With ‘Flow’ it seems he is aiming to deal with a theme that is familiar to many in the hope that he can offer others a positive way forward. This is a well-crafted piece of music from an incredibly promising artist that deserves recognition and attention from fans of the genre.

XIN has more music released, and you’ll be able to hear it on his YouTube, Spotify, or other streaming platforms. You can follow him on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.