Check out the video for @KiteBaseMusic cover of @nineinchnails "Something I Can Never Have" #tbt
Check out the video for Kite Base’s cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Something I Can Never Have”. They haven’t released the song but do check out the rest of their record, Latent Whispers, from Little Something Records.
Kite Base is the outcome of two gifted friends with complementary yet contrasting approaches and a goal to realise a shared passion for lower end frequencies, melodies and beats. The disparate nature of two basses working together is a springboard for the moody yet melodic sound of Kite Base. Effortlessly introducing the intricacy of electronics and vocal harmonies has lead to a powerful record in ‘Latent Whispers’ as Ayse Hassan and Kendra Frost excel with beguiling and fascinating compositions… We talk to the delightful duo about restrictions, field recordings and having a positive frame of mind…
TSH: You were both clear about what you wanted with Kite Base from the start. Was it key to stick closely to the original discussions?
Ayse: The initial discussions we both had were certainly essential to the project. I think we definitely had to define and approach the ideas that we wanted to get out of working together.
TSH: Getting out of your comfort zones was also important...
Ayse: Yeah, absolutely. The moment we met, we realised that we had this love for bass and various types of other music. We just thought it would be interesting to challenge ourselves. We'd both been in bands for several years, so we wanted to try a new approach and do something that would take us out of our comfort zones.
TSH: You both seamlessly managed to incorporate the bass without comprising the songs that you wanted, resulting in impressive contrast, abrasion and harmony...
Kendra: Yeah, I guess that was part out of desire and part out of necessity really. We had to approach things differently and kind of had to embrace a different way of writing. We had to be sensitive to certain parts of the music since we both play bass guitars. Sometimes playing in the same region can get pretty muddy so we had to be conscious of that. Overall, it was just nice to do something completely different, which wasn't our initial intention, but it was just two friends having a meeting of the minds and being open to new avenues. The fact that we were able to pull from our strengths with the bass guitar so seamlessly and have it work so well was so pleasing.
TSH: Knowing you were primarily beaming ideas over to each other digitally, was this quite the challenge?
Ayse: I guess it was quite restrictive because the ideal situation is both of us together writing in the same time and moment. However, a lot of the time, people don't get inspiration in the same moment; therefore having the time to work alone can have its benefits. For us, the digital approach seemed to work because that was the only way that we could write, especially because I was on tour. I feel that regardless of the challenges we had being apart, in the end, we were able to excel in our own unique and creative ways. We simply made the most out of our situation.
TSH: Kendra, you actually prefer the restrictions as it forces you to be a lot more creative...
Kendra: Yeah. I really do feel that's the case. These days, there are so many things you can do - there is so much kit and an infinite amount of plug-ins, which I think is sometimes overwhelming. I mean you can lose the essence of just writing a good song by applying a ton of different effects onto a track. I like that Kite Base was all about getting back to the nitty-gritty of the music we like. For a lot of people pop is a dirty word, but we are both in agreement that there is a real craft to doing it well.
TSH: What’s the basic foundation for a track like 'Peripheral Vision'?
Kendra: Well, we always had an idea from the outset that we wanted the basses to be at the forefront. This song was basically us finding different ways to achieve this. We wanted this track to have a sort of variable context and even the element of chance involved.
TSH: Was 'Miracle Waves' the natural choice to bookend the album?
Ayse: I feel that once the album was written, everything fell into it place. We both naturally agreed on the flow of the album. 'Miracle Waves' just made sense as the closer.
Kendra: Yeah, with all these songs, we had a narrative in mind with regards to how the songs stitch together and the ebb and flow of the record. We actually wrote a blurb behind each song, which gave us a narrational type of direction in terms of sequencing.
TSH: How did the field recordings come into play?
Ayse: Since there are just two of us, we felt like we needed an extra texture at various points. What we started to do when we were on tour in Europe was we started to record sounds of the locations we were in and then we would play them in various parts of our set. The field recordings were a mixture of paying homage to the city we were in and also to add texture. It’s so beautiful listening to the sounds of a city and knowing that there are people living their lives within. For me, there is something quite powerful about capturing the noise of a city – it subconsciously takes you back to a time and gives you a familiar feeling. I was raised in the city and when I go to the countryside, it’s super quiet - it makes me feel so uncomfortable because I'm so used to noise in my everyday life.
TSH: What are the key incentives that you bear in mind for your live offerings?
Ayse: In my mind the live performance is always something that can be enhanced no matter what level you get to. After every show we always think about ways to make our live set even better. The more we play, the more we incorporate new ideas and approach things from new vantage point. It's important to approach each night as an event, so that you are thinking about everything 360 - like we do with all aspects of Kite Base, from the merch to the music videos.
TSH: You both formed a brilliant cover of Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Something I Can Never Have’. What was it like to get Trent Reznor’s approval?
Kendra: Haha! I'm still smiling about that! In many ways, Trent is like my ultimate idol, so to have him approve of our cover was an accolade for sure.
TSH: Ayse, does drum n’ bass still get you dancing and make you feel free?
Ayse: Oh yeah! Totally! It’s all about the drum n’ bass; I can get enough of it, especially in the right circumstances.
TSH: There’s an outpouring of positivity with your friendship. How vital is it to maintain a positive frame of mind?
Ayse: I feel it’s all about how you decide to approach something. Touring is not easy and we both put a lot of blood sweat and tears into our music. We do take it seriously, but we know there's a balance - we know when to enjoy ourselves. You have to do what's right for you to stay healthy, because touring is very extreme and there are so many highs and lows, which can impact you both mentally and physically. A big learning curve for me over the years is taking responsibility of my own well-being and making choices that support a positive frame of mind.
TSH: What’s your ethos as you look ahead with Kite Base?
Kendra: We want to stay true our original vision and to always develop with new innovative ideas. It’s key to be open to new things to further this project. We've got this album out there now and we've learnt so much - we can apply our learnings and techniques and build upon them. There is so much scope to try out other things, which is exciting. I’m already looking forward to the next chapter.
Ayse: Music is my life, so my approach is always to do the right thing and do what makes you happy. If we approach our music in this way, it will always echo positive energy. Also, integrity is important and something that matters very much. You know, I’m just really happy with the balance we have between each other, I feel our strong bond will allow us to overcome any tough obstacles and help us both to create whilst being grateful for where we are.
