AFTER impressing in the Triple J Hottest 100 earlier this year, The Kite String Tangle has had a successful 2014.
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The Brisbane-based music producer will play in Bendigo on Thursday as part of a national tour promoting his newly released EP Vessel.
It will be a return to Bendigo for The Kite String Tangle (real name Danny Harley) after a memorable visit to Groovin the Moo in May.
“I got there and had left my shoes in Brisbane so I got to explore the town centre for new shoes,” Harley said.
“Playing at festivals like Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass is pretty strange.
“They are festivals that most Aussie musicians dream of playing, so it has been pretty surreal.”
Harley’s single Given the Chance reached number 19 in this year’s Hottest 100 and gave him a healthy amount of momentum to release his album.
“The Hottest 100 is something the whole country gets behind, so it was pretty flattering and helpful to my career,” he said.
“It brought a lot more people out to my shows and built the chemistry between the audience and me, which is something I enjoy.”
The Vessel EP Tour already has a number of sold-out shows and has announced extra shows to cope with demand. The tour began in Darwin on August 20.
“The first tour I did only played to about three people. There were a lot of smaller venues,” Harley joked.
“We had a killer tour at the start of the year and (on this tour) there are only a few shows left with tickets still available. I’ve definitely seen both sides of the coin.”
A packed tour schedule, a new EP and a growing fan base also meant Harley had to refine his electronic music for live shows.
“I try and make everything as individual as possible. It is underwhelming to just see a guy with a laptop,” he said.
“My gear has changed over time since the smaller gigs. It’s a completely different set-up.
“I’ve been changing the way I play stuff live. Now there are keyboards, pads I hit with my drumsticks and vocal effects I automate on my table.”
Harley started playing guitar aged 12 and studied it right through university.
“Ironically I don’t play guitar in my live shows,” he said.
“I bought a laptop after university and it was a game changer. I could write complete arrangements on one laptop and it changed how I approached music.”
The Kite String Tangle’s style of music is something Harley has refined over the years. Vessel contains tracks that Harley worked on for some time.
“Some of the songs I have had for a couple of years, some I wrote close to the release date,” he said.
“But it is a collection of songs that has stuck with me and it’s nice to have that.
“(Given the Chance) had a dream run and it led to my first body of work. So when I released it there was still an ‘oh my God’ moment.”