DANNY HARLEY of THE KITE STRING TANGLE: Metaphors And Giant Cats
An interview by Sarah Kidd.
About to hit Auckland for his first New Zealand performance in support of Odesza, Danny Harley aka The Kite String Tangle is already contemplating where his musical journey will take him next following the release of his stunning self-titled debut album back in July.
Based in Brisbane, The Kite String Tangle (TKST) first emerged on the music scene in 2013 after winning the Triple J Unearthed competition which shortly thereafter saw TKST’s single ‘Given The Chance’ be voted into the No. 19 spot on the Triple J Hottest 100 that same year. The emotionally poetic track ‘Arcadia’ saw TKST gain the No. 15 spot in 2014 and his EP Vessel gain an Aria nomination. TKST has played Falls Festival, Groovin the Moo, SxSW and even the iconic Splendour in the Grass, his performances being enthusiastically received at each and every one.
Ever changing, The Kite String Tangle’s latest offering is a collection of thoughtful songs, lashed together with perfectly timed drops, lush soundscapes and noteworthy lyricism. I spoke with Danny on the eve of his Auckland debut to discuss music, visual arts and giant fluffy cats.
My first introduction to The Kite String Tangle was through your track ‘Arcadia’, I always loved the lyrics and found the accompanying music video particularly moving.
“That was filmed in Auckland. I didn’t actually make it out for the shoot but the production company is in New Zealand and they’re called (laughs) ‘Fish n Clips’ which is hilarious. But they did it and it was incredible! I have been driving around Auckland trying to find where they did it and I can’t do it!”
Your artist name is quite fascinating; it conjures up so many interesting images when you begin to think about it in a little more depth – so where did the name The Kite String Tangle originate from?
“That was kind of the origin of it; it was to bring those images to mind because it was for an ambient project that I had started which had no drums, no vocals, it was all very wishy-washy -very ethereal. I like it because of the imagery; it kind of gets you thinking, there are elements of distance and nostalgia and complications and that’s kind of what it was crafted for. Then the music changed over time but the name stuck”
Yes, I love the imagery of how the kite string is this delicate thread flying high in the air, but one small tangle can cause chaos; the tangle for me symbolizing the complications of human emotions and relationships etc.
“Yeah….absolutely!”
One of your most recent tracks from the album entitled ‘The Prize’ features the amazing Bridgette Amofah from Rudimental; how did this collaboration come about?
“We met in London when I was over there for a show, I had a couple of shows but they had a big gap in between. I had my management hook up a few writing sessions and one of them was with Bridgette and her own solo stuff.
So we met and we wrote a whole bunch of stuff together and you know she is really cool; it was really fun to hang out and so we kept in touch. Then she was touring in Australia with Rudimental and I was like ‘Hey do you have any time while you are here to jump in the studio?’ She had one day off in Brisbane which is my home town, so it was very fortuitous in that way; we jumped into the studio and I had pre-written it all, it was my writing, lyrics and music but she came in and smashed it out in like 3 takes! I mean she is a proper vocalist, like she’s the real deal!”
Now you released your debut album in July and it has already been declared in a recent review as one of “the best Australian Electronica Albums to date” – not including the singles, what one song off the album would best sum up who you are as an artist?
“That’s a good question, because I feel like I am in between who I think I am as an artist! But currently in this stage, maybe it’s the intro track ‘Waiting’, that’s like a personal favourite of mine. I’m very proud of the production on that song; [as well as] the vocals and I feel that is indicative of where I want to take things in the future so I will lock that one in”
One of my favourite tracks off the album is ‘Beneath the Canopy’; there is a line in the song “I left you in the dark again / faithful as gravity” that is so engaging and I absolutely adore the blatant honesty of the chorus. What inspired this track?
“Actually that one has a cool story! I went to a party, it was in an abandoned golf course and a friend of mine threw [it] there; got a generator and these speakers and there were these bands that were playing.
Being an abandoned golf course there were these bunch of trees and a big opening in the middle of it – so you couldn’t hear it [the party], you couldn’t see it, it was just like in the middle of nowhere; this little bushed off thing almost. That was where I met my girlfriend that I am currently with; we weren’t actually going out or anything, we knew there was chemistry but I didn’t know that she was mine. So it’s like this very playful ‘Do I have you’ kind of meaning – that’s what that songs about”
That’s what I love about the chorus, how’s it quite honest “If we both stop fuckin around, we’ll be alright” (mutual laughter). I love that because I think everybody has been in that situation at some point of their lives where they are like – are we doing this or not?
“Yeah…yeah, I’m glad you got that!”
Let’s talk about the album cover! It’s simple and understated, yet the colours and the contrast work perfectly with your image that is being reflected. What does the imagery say on behalf of you? For me it denotes reflection on the inner self.
“Yeah – that’s exactly it. It is supposed to represent a lot of the introspection of the album; a lot of reflection, a lot of introspection. So it seemed like an apt sort of visual metaphor for that”
It’s very striking, in particular that bold aqua blue background colour.
“I really wanted to have strong, bold, simple block colours to represent the music on the album cover and all the singles artwork as well. I wanted it to be striking actually, which is one of the words I kept coming back to (laughs) so I am glad you used that word. But yeah it was cool; I wanted that simple block colour to be really prevalent because I think it is super powerful”
What drove you to create The Kite String Tangle in the first place?
“I was in bands … I have always been in like rock bands, whatever and then I was in this electronic high energy five piece [Pigeon] for a while. I always kept writing music by myself as well and I just had such an in-depth backlog of songs that weren’t suitable for the band, so I was like ‘I guess I will release some of it myself’ and that turned out to be The Kite String Tangle and gradually over time it became the priority”
So what artists would you credit for leading you on this ever changing journey?
“I mean it always sort of changes over time; initially it was artists like Active Child, James Blake, Mount Kimbie that kind of stuff; minimal beats but also people that had a basis in the singer/songwriter part of the world, very ethereal as well.
But over time it’s changed as new artists come about; The xx is a big one, London Grammar, Bonobo …”
Now I have a couple of very important questions for you; one of them being are you a cat person?
“Absolutely – one hundred percent! (laughs) I didn’t use to be; I wasn’t always like this but now, yeah I’m just a cat person through and through! My cat – he’s got his own Instagram! He’s pretty much a model; he’s the worse cat though! He will jump up onto like a really low table or something and fall off, like he’s not a very good cat but he gets by on his looks (mutual laughter) I want one of those massive ones – have you ever seen those?”
Maine Coon Cats?
“Yeah! They’re so cool – I want to just like pick one up and walk around with it”
I was about to ask what one thing besides music could you not live without – but I will now have to amend that to: What one thing besides music and your cat could you not live without?
“Um, I mean you know they take up a good portion of the pie (laughs). But photography is a big thing for me, I’m not that good at it but I enjoy it, so that’s probably what I would lock in”
So where to from here?
“Touring with Odesza and then doing support slot for London Grammar later in the month. I got my own headline shows in October and then January early next year I’m doing a touring festival called FOMO Festival and that’s pretty much the next six months for me!
In between I guess I’ll be continuing writing new material, just putting out extra little bits of content, so yeah it’s going to be a busy and exciting next six months”
