In this new Rolling Stone AU/NZ series, we get to know the music tastes of artists through their favourite records. Next up, indie pop-punk artist KIAN.
What do you do after releasing your long-awaited debut album? You hit up a record store, searching for more music and new inspirations, of course.
After winning triple j Unearthed in 2018, KIAN took his time moulding himself as an artist, releasing two EPs (2019’s Bliss and 2022’s Shine) and full throttle singles like the Top 20 hit “Waiting” (2018).
By the time 2024 rolled around, he was finally ready to unleash his full-length debut, Wake Up, You’re Falling. Dropping at the beginning of November, KIAN’s first album expertly flits between introspective indie and frenetic pop-punk, revelling in surprising listeners on each track.
The artist sums up his sonic style best himself: “Just when you think you’re being lulled into a dream-like state, something bursts in to wake you up.”
KIAN worked with producers Pip Norman and Rob Amoruso on the album, and the trio really immersed themselves in the creative process. “We had more time and freedom to experiment, which was refreshing. It allowed us to explore new sounds and ideas,” KIAN reveals.
With three ARIA Awards nominations already to his name, don’t bet against seeing KIAN’s name in the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist category next year thanks to his debut album.
Following the release of Wake Up, You’re Falling, we sent KIAN record shopping at Sydney’s Red Eye Records to find out more about his musical tastes, and his eclectic picks didn’t disappoint.
Check out KIAN’s favourite records below and in the video above. Stream Wake Up, You’re Falling here.
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Not only is Radiohead iconic but all their albums tell a story and take you on an emotional rollercoaster. In Rainbows is an album I can consistently listen to from start to finish and I feel like it has something super unique about it that only Radiohead could pull off. “House of Cards” is my favourite Radiohead song, and because it’s on this album it holds a special place for me out of their whole discography.
Credit: Charlie Hardy
Pixies – Surfer Rosa
This album speaks for itself. Amazing songs from an amazing band, with a few classics sprinkled through. The Pixies were a band we often talked about in the studio when making my album, the way their guitar riffs felt fun but melancholic all at once is something that really draws me toward them as an act. Overall just a sound that evokes mass amounts of nostalgia for me.
Credit: Charlie Hardy
Gorillaz – Gorillaz
One of my all-time favourite bands. In my opinion no one else does genre blending better than Gorillaz. I feel like as a kid I spent hours just watching their music videos over and over on the family computer during the early days of YouTube. They were also among the first CDs my mum ever gave me, so their work will always feel special to me.
Credit: Charlie Hardy
The Strokes – Room on Fire
Admittedly I was super late on The Strokes train, only diving into their discography a couple of years ago. But when listening through, this album in particular was the one I resonated with on a deep level. Something about the vocal delivery and guitar tones on tracks like “Reptilia” and “12:51” really spoke to me and had me hooked. Not only are the songs great and well written but you really get to feel the raw emotion of the stories they tell.
Credit: Charlie Hardy
The Cure – Disintegration
There’s not much I can say that people don’t already feel or know about The Cure. What I will say is that they were another band we referenced in the studio, especially when making my track “Ultra Violet”. I even referenced their music video for “Close to Me” in my video for my track “Try Hard”.
Credit: Charlie Hardy
As controversial as this might be, I haven’t always resonated with albums from the ’80s and it often is a decade of music I like the least, but Disintegration is an exception for me. I feel like it perfectly represents the time it was created while simultaneously having its own sound. I feel like it’s an album that from the first song transports you into a new dimension.
