Juniper
Ahns performing alongside his band members at the Southeast Express Exclusive First Listen
What if the city we think we know has more to say than we realise? Kuala Lumpur-based singer-songwriter Ahns invites listeners to hear their surroundings differently with Southeast Express, his 10-track debut album set for release on 16 October 2026. Rooted in personal memories and the everyday landscapes of Kuala Lumpur, the album turns familiar roads, industrial surroundings and the rhythms of city life into stories told through sound.
Ahead of the album’s official release, Ahns brought Southeast Express to life through an exclusive first-listen experience on 15 October, bringing listeners into the world of Southeast Express through a journey to explore the ideas and places behind his music.
The afternoon began at BMW Millennium Welt, where guests were chauffeured to RAPTROOM for an intimate listening session. The journey offered a different way to experience the city before guests settled in to hear Ahns’ music and the stories behind it. The experience also featured live music and an opportunity to engage with the artist.
Growing up between Gombak and Segambut, Ahns draws on Kuala Lumpur’s familiar landscapes and the everyday details of Malaysian life. From the roads people travel daily to the memories attached to the places they call home, these familiar surroundings offer a starting point for exploring the relationship between place, memory and belonging.
“There’s something about familiar places that stays with us, even as we grow and change. A street can hold a memory, a passing view can take you back to a different time, and somewhere you’ve been a hundred times can still make you feel something new. With Southeast Express, I wanted to explore these little moments we often pass by, and how they quietly become part of our story. Maybe home isn’t just a place we return to, but all the things we carry with us along the way,” says Ahns.
Blending elements of alternative pop, dream pop, indie rock, and ambient soundscapes, Southeast Express explores how our surroundings shape the way we remember, feel, and understand our experiences. Across its 10 tracks, the album weaves together reflections on childhood, family, familiar neighbourhoods and the changing landscapes of the city, offering a personal perspective on what it means to grow up and find a sense of belonging.
From Left to Right: Christiana Chai, Ahns, Jerry Lim, and Cassandra Mary
Leading up to the album, Ahns released Other Houses in February, Old News and Boys in April, and Swimming in July.
For Ahns, music is also closely connected to visual storytelling. His live performances incorporate self-directed footage collected over the years, allowing audiences to get closer to the people, places and everyday moments that inform his work. This approach extends the album beyond its music, creating a more immersive look at the landscapes and memories behind his work.
At its heart, Southeast Express is about finding meaning in the places we know and the moments we might otherwise overlook. Through music and visual storytelling, Ahns invites listeners to slow down, pay attention and discover a different side of the city they call home.
Ahns’ debut album, Southeast Express, is available now on all streaming platforms.
Listen to Southeast Express:
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