Kites are fast establishing themselves as perhaps the young band to watch in 2012 and they have already had praise lavished upon them by music press and the blogosphere alike. We could bore you with lazy comparisons to artists of days gone by with whom they share aspects of sound and sensibility (Depeche Mode, New Order, Talking Heads, yadda yadda yadda), but practically everyone else who has drafted a paragraph or more about this erudite four-piece has already done so. No, what you want to hear is, are they actually any good and where can I see / hear them?
There’s a very simple answer to the first question; yes, yes they are. Since forming in 2010, the family Kites has created some splendid tracks that just keep getting better and better. The pick of the bunch being their debut single “Brother” (they have previously released a couple of EPs).
Front man Matthew sings with silver-tongued precision and melancholia, regaling us with a tale of two brothers and their estrangement. A simple organ introduction is soon replaced with a dark bass line, building layer upon layer as the story develops, heartache prevalent as Matthew implores, “I find you/ right now I’m in swift pursuit”, and describes the multitude of ways in which he had been seeking his long lost sibling. It is a fantastically crafted and heartfelt tale, a master class in storytelling through song.
“Brother” is out on 24 October and will be backed by “Art Tastes Better Blind” as the B side. You can catch the guys in London in October, details and a very special stream of the single are below.
3 October – Shacklewell Arms, London (with INTL and special guest DJ)
12 October – Bloomsbury Lanes, London (Headline show)
27 October – Electricity Showrooms, London (Strangers Club)
