I can’t remember how I stumbled across Kinnie The Explorer, but my very limited knowledge of them is this: they are new, they are young, they sound refreshingly different, and are supporting Noah & The Whale at the O2 Academy on 30 June. I could have chosen any of the four tracks (from the Blood, It’s On Every Wall EP) on their Bandcamp page, each one standing out for different reasons, but I love ‘Sleep’ for its brooding, hypnotic lo-fi groove. A rambling, prominent bass riff is accompanied (at different times) by subdued, almost matter of fact vocals, and perfectly restrained guitar and drums. I’m hearing ‘Lost Souls’ era Doves, plenty of Explosions In The Sky and a quality of production that belies their presumed lack of experience. I’ve no idea where Kinnie The Explorer have sprouted from, but judging by what I’ve heard their appearance is more than welcome.

Kinnie The Explorer on ‘Sleep’…

We started properly writing ‘Sleep’ around January time, it had been an idea in a few of our heads since we started the band – but although it was the longest running idea, it was the last one we finished for the EP. We were still adding the finishing touches to it just days before we entered the studio in mid-April. The song is also the one we’re most excited to get out, and seems to be getting the best response from listeners.

There was much debate about the order and structure of the song, but in the end we decided that we’d try and let the song write itself. We thought we’d let it build naturally, and the odd time signatures were just a product of that mentality. The vocals were the last part we added in. We don’t see any distinction between music and vocals, as far as we’re concerned they are just another part of the overall sound. In the end we decided to add them in, but only a few, that was just what felt right to us. We don’t want anything in our music to sound forced – and that’s why we associate ourselves far more with the genres of dream pop, post-rock and ambient music than anything else. We wanted to make music that is nice to listen to but with added depth, that anyone can be absorbed by, and for us, ‘Sleep’ epitomises this.

“I would rather be, coming back at me / I would rather be, walking on a dream / In the great night out stars are all I see / In the great night out stars are all I breathe”

Kinnie The Explorer – ‘Sleep’

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