Cryptophasia/Orange & Black Smoke LP/Insert and Obi Strip

Description

Cryptophasia is the third album from Scottish twin brothers Andy and Mike Truscott as Kinbrae. Moving away from their previous landscape-focused albums, Cryptophasia allows the band to explore their twin relationship and how this has shaped them both individually and collectively. Reflecting on their life experiences, the album touches on themes of family dynamics, lived experiences and memories, identity, sibling rivalries, isolation, and mental health issues. Analysing these aspects allowed the band to understand how they have supported each other over the years and analyse how their brotherly relationship has evolved. Collaborating with producer and regular collaborator Ben Chatwin, the band received a Jerwood bursary to experiment and improvise with new instruments and techniques. These initial sketches then helped to structure full pieces of music. The album incorporates modular and analogue synthesisers, intertwined with brass and melodic movements. These sounds are then further developed with the use of field recordings, piano, live percussion, and bass guitar to both establish and further develop the band's signature ambient and melancholic sound.