Kalaido Premieres His New Single “Water Candles”

Portland-based composer and producer Kalaido, aka Phoenix Glendinning, unveils his beautifully hypnotic single, “Water Candles,” giving listeners a taste of his upcoming album, In Praise of Shadows, due for release in the spring. Find the artist on X and Instagram.

Discussing the song, Kalaido says:

“Whenever I write tracks in this style with immersive panning effects, it always conjures up strong imagery in my mind, and for some reason with this track, I thought of little candle boats floating down a stream. It was my hope that this track would give the listener some familiar terrain to start the album off with before it eventually veered off into a bunch of new territory.”

In Praise of Shadows was inspired by a visit to Japan. Super 8 footage captured during his travels was transformed into marvellous illustrations by Kalaido’s wife, Endless Takeout.

Kalaido’s sound merges influence from instrumental hip-hop and ambient music with lo-fil jazz, creating a tranquil yet vibrant mood fashioned on complex harmonic layers and subtle rhythmic textures.

Along with more than 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Kalaido’s unique music has amassed over 75 million streams, with his track “Hanging Lanterns” being used in 50,000+ TikTok videos.

“Water Candles” opens on the rounded chiming of bells flowing into a rhythmic pulse, at once potent and tasteful. The luminous, sparkling guzheng melody imbues the tune with the feeling of a gently flowing stream. There’s a hushed mood of joy and stillness running through the song, producing an overall effect of almost mystical serenity.

Filled with magical charm, on “Water Candles,” Kalaido blends savours of jazz and natural sounds into unassuming, unavoidable music.

Kalaido “Water Candles” single artwork, by @endlesstakeout