HEDEGAARD releases second instalment of his ‘KIN’ album: ‘Monolith’ featuring MOGUAI & Brandon Beal
Danish DJ, producer, label owner and all-round musical boundary breaker HEDEGAARD continues his ambitious globe-spanning creative journey with the next chapter of his expansive ‘KIN’ album project. Following the announcement of the forthcoming album and accompanying documentary Western China’s Melody alongside lead single ‘Say My Name’ with pop superstar Arash, HEDEGAARD now unveils the next major moment in the campaign with brand-new single ‘Monolith’ alongside MOGUAI and Brandon Beal, together with the first four tracks from the KIN album and their corresponding documentary episodes.
A cinematic, dynamic and emotionally charged production, ‘Monolith’ sees HEDEGAARD combine his unmistakable ‘Car Music’ inspired sound with sweeping instrumentation, thunderous low-end energy and enchanting traditional Chinese influences woven throughout the record. Elevated by Brandon Beal’s cutting, rhythmic vocal topline and MOGUAI’s unmistakable electronic touch, the single perfectly captures the cross-cultural ambition and large-scale vision behind the wider KIN project. From its tension-building breakdowns to its explosive drops, ‘Monolith’ delivers a powerful meeting point between modern dance music and centuries of musical heritage.
Created while travelling across Western China, KIN stands as one of HEDEGAARD’s most personal and creatively daring bodies of work to date. The 10-track album draws direct inspiration from 10 different provinces across China, with ‘Monolith’ relating to the 1st episode from the series. In the episode HEDEGAARD learns about the region, the ancient circle dance of the Tibetan people, and how rhythm brings their people together. He discusses the expression of love through music and meets with Nyima Lobsang & Gelsang Tsering – a Tibetan couple, who keep the traditional love songs from the region alive through their vocal performances, which he then uses as a key pillar in ‘Monolith’ and its production bedrock.
As part of the technical process of the production of KIN, HEDEGAARD used field recordings, traditional instrumentation, regional musical influences and collaborations with local musicians, all reimagined through a contemporary electronic lens. Alongside collaborators including Waka Flocka Flame, Arash, MOGUAI, Safri Duo and more, HEDEGAARD bridges Eastern and Western musical worlds in a project designed to celebrate culture, connection and creativity without borders.
Launching alongside the music, Western China’s Melody offers an intimate behind-the-scenes look into the journey behind the album. Each episode corresponds directly to an album track, documenting the landscapes, people, collaborations and cultural experiences that inspired the music itself. From remote locations and traditional performances to spontaneous studio sessions and personal reflections, the documentary captures the human side of a project built on exploration and artistic exchange.
The beginning of June marks the official arrival of the first four tracks from KIN, each paired with its own dedicated documentary episode as HEDEGAARD opens the door into the first half of this ambitious multimedia project. The remaining tracks and documentary episodes will follow later this month, completing a campaign that pushes far beyond the boundaries of a traditional album rollout.
Already widely celebrated across China thanks to releases like ‘NYC BABY’ and its regional counterpart ‘BEIJING BABY’, HEDEGAARD’s connection with Chinese culture has continued to evolve organically over recent years. KIN and Western China’s Melody now serve as the culmination of that relationship – a deeply immersive musical and visual experience that showcases not only HEDEGAARD’s evolution as an artist, but also the power of music as a universal language.
‘Monolith’ with MOGUAI and Brandon Beal, alongside tracks 3, 4 and 5 from KIN and opening episodes of Western China’s Melody, arrives via OneHundred in collaboration with Spinnin’ Records.
