A new single from Danish experimental singer/songwriter, KRISTIAN HARTING, and his impending Summer Of Crush sophomore solo LP, has just been leaked through an exclusive premiere of “Ship Of Fools” at New Noise Magazine, as Exile On Mainstream prepares for the record’s release.
While KRISTIAN HARTING‘s lauded debut solo LP, 2014’s Float, melded ethereal song-writing deeply inspired by Western lo-fi pop, Mali blues and avant-garde folk, on the upcoming Summer Of Crush, the artist channels his thoughts through a self-described, “Motown meets metal meets Morricone” songwriting process. Working over a sustained period of time to shape imaginary forms and sketches into lucid sound collages, the twelve tracks were written, played and recorded solely by HARTING himself. Armed with his guitars, loop pedals, a foot-operated synth and analogue electronics, his work in Summer Of Crush is a series of captivating, emotional and at times, disconcerting, trips. The collection of influences that feed in to these songs are like mysterious far-flung stamps on the Danish born musician’s passport, and the tales that he has to tell root you to the spot with their sparkling vivacity and intimate composure. Recalibrating his works towards a more pop-orientated approach, the resulting album oscillates between melancholic dreamscapes, swells of articulate outpourings and synth-laden shamanic dance tracks.
The number eight track on this voyager’s new LP, “Ship Of Fools” boasts possibly the most dynamic range of all other songs on the twelve song Summer Of Crush. One of the few tracks with a steady and driving percussive edge, the number surges with a wealth of steadily consuming layers of synth and a pounding, extraterrestrial guitar tone. KRISTIAN HARTING offers on this song in particular, “‘Ship Of Fools’ is about abusing yourself in a system you know is bad for you but still fascinates and attracts you to a degree where you are willing to compromise yourself to be part of it. About knowing the world is on the brink of ecological disaster and you are still traveling around in airplanes, pouring plastic in the waste and eating pesticides. It’s about the driving force of Western capitalism fueled by money and power, glam and cocaine, seducing and enslaving people and nature. I’m not a saint. I’m caught up in it. It’s everywhere I go. I try to breathe freely but everywhere are exhaust pipes.”
Set sail with KRISTIAN HARTING’s “Ship Of Fools” via New Noise Magazine RIGHT HERE.
Also hear the opening track from Summer Of Crush, “Traveller,” HERE.
Summer Of Crush is set to be released via Exile on Mainstream on CD, LP and digital platforms worldwide on October 30th. Physical preorders are now available HERE.
KRISTIAN HARTING will heavily support Summer Of Crush on stage, the album to be accompanied by a serious set of live shows and a large European tour in early 2016. He will perform this Saturday, October 10th at a Copenhagen release show for Recitation, also joined by Slægt. Stand by for additional tour dates to be announced in the coming days.
KRISTIAN HARTING Live:
10/10/2015 Stengade – Copenhagen, DK w/ Recitation, Slægt
KRISTIAN HARTING started young, playing in thrash metal bands such as Avoid in the early 90’s, before progressing further into songwriting and alternative noisy pop, forming bands including Dr. Berg, Solskaer and Tomato. He’s since worked with renowned musicians such as Jacob Krogholt (Rising, Bjoerst, Withering Surface), Mick Grondahl (Jeff Buckley, Beth Orthon) and Jesper Bo Hansen (Anne Linnet, Ida Gaard) in addition to producers Kim Hüttel (Sort Sol, The Sandmen) and Magnus Groth (Sort Sol, Kira and the Kindred Spirits). In 2004, he formed DreamJockey with Mads Beldring and Jakob Falgren, and released the album Wake Up Rock (Tone Tribunalet) in 2006, before evolving into a duo with Mads Beldring for their second LP, Earthquakes, Religion and Heartaches (Divine Records, 2011). In recent times, HARTING has toured across Europe extensively with Future Islands — who recently returned again to play two sold-out shows alongside him at the Vega venue in HARTING‘s hometown of Copenhagen — and with Exile On Mainstream labelmates Conny Ochs and Friedemann.
http://www.facebook.com/kristian.harting
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de