7/10

Over these last few years, there has been a growing wave of artists exploring questions of identity and belonging, but few have done so with the grace and sincerity found on John Lebanon’s 'Kite Without a String'. Crafted between two vastly different worlds and shaped by years of personal reflection, this latest collection is a companion for anyone who has ever found themselves caught between places, cultures, or versions of themselves.

What immediately strikes you is how effortlessly the group balances intimacy with scope. While the record deals with weighty themes, it never feels burdened by them. It unfolds through small observations and everyday moments that gradually reveal a much bigger emotional picture.

Opening piece 'Hurricane Eyes' arrives with a restless energy, setting the tone for a journey that feels both physical and spiritual. From there, the title-track introduces one of the album’s defining ideas: how freedom and stability often exist in tension with one another. But instead of offering fleeting answers, the band allows those questions to sit with us.

The record then reaches one of its most affecting moments with 'Maksour'. Stripped back and emotionally exposed, it showcases the project’s ability to communicate universal feelings through deeply personal storytelling. It's a stunning centrepiece that quietly anchors everything around it.

Like Tom Collins’ ability to fuse emotional honesty with uplifting musical landscapes, John Lebanon excels at transforming deeply personal experiences into something widely relatable. Songs such as 'Petit Pierre' and 'Self Made World' celebrate resilience without becoming overly sentimental, finding profound meaning in life’s simplest details.

Warm, thoughtful, and deeply immersive throughout, 'Kite Without a String' establishes John Lebanon as an artist capable of finding extraordinary beauty in ordinary moments. It's a record that reminds us that sometimes the search for home begins within ourselves.