Kirin J Callinan

Provocative Aussie singer/songwriter Kirin J. Callinan first came to prominence as the enigmatic guitarist for Sydney-based indie rockers Mercy Arms before striking out on his own in 2009. Equal parts Scott Walker, Trent Reznor, Birthday Party-era Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, and Patrick Wolf, Callinan cuts a mercurial, often primal and androgynous figure, dabbling in everything from evocative electro-pop to arty, experimental rock.
His solo debut, the dense, difficult, and ultimately rewarding Terrible Records-issued Embracism, was released in 2013. Callinan moved to Caroline for his sophomore long-player Bravado, which featured guest appearances from Mac DeMarco, Weyes Blood, James Chance, Alex Cameron, Connan Mockasin, Owen Pallet, Sean Nicholas Savage, and the Finn Family. The outing saw Callinan flexing his EDM muscles while maintaining the nervy post-punk foundation that made his 2013 debut such a prickly affair. That same year saw Callinan make his acting debut, appearing in the second season of director Jane Campion’s award-winning television drama Top of the Lake. In 2019, he released his third studio effort, the all-covers LP Return to Center, which featured reworked versions of songs by the Waterboys, Ultravox, Momus, and Robert Wyatt, among others. ~ James Christopher Monger