Kat Koan – The Night Circus EP Review

Kat Koan’s new six-track EP The Night Circus is as unfiltered and playful as it is theatrical. Billed by Koan herself as a “carefully crafted hot mess,” this is a record that throws out the rulebook in favour of bold choices, unexpected shifts, and a whole lot of personality.

The opener, Recipe for Disaster, kicks things off with a slick balance of catchiness and tension. There’s a cinematic pull here, but not in the obvious, overproduced sense—this is something more character-driven, almost like the soundtrack to a stylish offbeat drama that doesn’t exist yet. The combination of a strong vocal hook and eerie instrumentation gives it legs well beyond just streaming.

Cocoon continues the circus feel—gently chaotic, but undeniably beautiful. Bells and brass accents sneak into the arrangement, supporting Koan’s vocals without ever weighing the track down. There’s something oddly comforting about it, like watching a storm from a safe distance.

Then BOOM! hits. And it does. With tribal drums and a warped percussive backbone, this one is short and volatile—less of a song, more of a punch. It’s theatrical, loud in all the right ways, and feels like it could score the intro scene to a character you’re supposed to both fear and love.

Dream Girl flips the energy completely. Slower, warmer, and softer in tone, the track leans into strings and a hazy vocal line that feels fit for a moment of reflection—on screen or off. It’s the kind of track that could just as easily live on a late-night playlist as it could in a film’s turning point.

Loose Woman shakes things up again. With a funkier pulse and a little bit of mischief, it’s the most rebellious cut on the EP. The vibe is bold, flirtatious, and slightly unhinged—in a good way. Think smoke machines, neon lighting, and a scene where someone’s clearly about to do something they shouldn’t.

Closing track Time is Honey is a brief but standout moment. Processed with a vintage edge, it leaves you with the strange feeling of remembering something you’re sure never happened. At just under a minute and a half, it’s a nostalgic glitch in the matrix—more mood than melody, but it works.

While each track holds its own, the real magic of The Night Circus is how well it comes together as a whole. It’s strange, bold, cinematic, and built with care by people who clearly didn’t care much for conventional rules. Koan and producer Cameron James Laing spent long days at Berlin’s Famous Gold Watch Studios building this thing—and you can hear that dedication in every bizarre detail.

This isn’t just an EP; it’s a “soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist,” as Kat puts it. But after hearing it, you kind of wish it did.