honoured to have had written the album notes to maverick musician Xhin's landmark new album The Images Within. as we all pretend to function in the new abnormal, it's increasingly rare to share as enriching, challenging (in the right ways), and joyous an experience as this work/writing journey and the music/head trip itself.
over beers & fags (because new normal), i chatted with Xhin twice about his new LP — the first on his own label The Document — and daring to grow out of people's expectations, his DIY, diverse musicianship and compositions, the importance of independence, and lots more. in many ways, the experience reminded me of how X' Ho's death and legacy shook me awake, and i only wish X' was still around to have heard this, to have written these notes himself.
befitting the album's title, so many images came to mind listening to and writing about these deceptive eight tracks: mostly dark AF ones, but also such rewarding light and clarity on the other end too, sweeter perhaps because of the confrontation of all the evil. i hope i did justice to The Images Within; i know Xhin's album does justice to X's spirit at least. like it shines on the last track X' released, "One Day At A Time (Missin’ Pt.2)", where in collaboration with Everafter, he intones:
i shall try to go gently into the night... i fear tomorrow i shall not think of it i must not think of it... think present think present think present...
long may such brave spirits live and thrive in the here and now, always.
PREORDER: thedocument.bandcamp.com
