On His EP “PURE ILLUSION,” Jhon Allan threads indie-pop shimmer and R&B hush into a lucid self-portrait of motion.
Old philosophers say the hardest person to be honest with is your own reflection; on PURE ILLUSION, Jhon Allan basically locks himself in a Stockholm apartment and refuses to look away from the mirror. The Swedish-Peruvian producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist turns six tracks of indie R&B and indie pop into a stormy self-portrait, one that sways between emotional freefall and sudden, dizzying elevation. Indeed, you can almost hear the walls of that suburban flat soaking up every chord change and confession.
“BROTHER” opens the EP on a slow bruise. Mid-tempo drums, soft acoustic riffs, and suave, unforced vocals carry lyrics about fake friends and eroded trust. The hook’s repetition—“you fell off”—feels less like pettiness and more like grief finally naming itself. “PURE” then turns the lens inward: tender guitar, silky harmonies, and a soulful bassline build a hazy indie-pop atmosphere where self-medication, shame, and denial drift through the room. In fact, the subtle vocal distortion in the chorus sounds like reality cracking at the edges, the illusion no longer quite holding.
The mood flips on “ARI,” a funk-splashed, West Coast-tinted track that invites you to escape your head and live entirely in your hips. Funky guitars, laidback drums, and rock-tinged leads make it the EP’s most physical moment; however, even here, devotion is laced with uncertainty, the swagger always one step away from vulnerability. “MAJOR CONTEST” pushes further onto the dance floor—soulful guitar, synths, and a falsetto that occasionally recalls Pharrell. Moreover, the lyrics lean into the temporary nature of club chemistry: desire is ecstatic, but everyone knows this won’t last past the neon.
The second half dives back into the heart. “MISUNDERSTAND” begins with lo-fi warmth—soft acoustic chords, intimate vocals, gentle female harmonies—before gliding into a restrained electronic pulse. It becomes a quiet plea: I love you, but timing is broken. In Addition, closer “SIGHTS” feels like dawn after a long night: Rhodes-style keys, synth details, and slightly distorted vocals deliver a love-at-first-sight narrative that somehow believes in hope without erasing past damage.
Throughout PURE ILLUSION, Jhon Allan doesn’t pretend to have solved his contradictions. Instead, he scores them—turning destructive patterns, fleeting hookups, and fragile beginnings into a cohesive, late-night soundtrack for anyone still trying to decide what in their life is real and what was always just a beautiful trick of the light.
Enjoyed the read? Consider showing your support by leaving a tip for the writer
TRENDING NOW
CONNECT WITH US
FEATURED
A campfire flickers on the prairie while the city votes to forget—rrunnerrss, the eponymous debut by the Austin-born band rrunnerrss led by award-winning songwriter and composer Michael Zapruder, arrives as both shelter and flare…