Like most days, when this interview takes place it finds Danny Harley – the singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist behind The Kite String Tangle – in his home studio.
Rather than busying himself with new material, however, Harley is in the zone while he rehearses for his first live shows in over two years.He's reverting to a one-man show – save for the behind-the-scenes work of his longtime lighting operator and visuals designer – and taking it back to "how it all started" when The Kite String Tangle first emerged as a project nearly a decade prior.
"They're both guys I've been working with on my live shows since around the very beginning," Danny says. "It's kind of cool always having a team that's present when you're doing these sorts of things.
"I wanted to lean a bit more heavily into both the lighting and the visuals for these shows, too. It's funny. . . playing live is something I've done countless times, but after not having done it for ages it feels completely new again. It's exciting in that way, but also just a little terrifying."
While the new live show, set to premiere as part of Brisbane Festival in early September as a twin bill dubbed Double Vision with Max Cooper, will inevitably include old favourites such as 'Arcadia' and the Gold-certified 'Given The Chance', it will also serve as the first time Harley has been (ahem) given the chance to perform new material.
2023 has seen The Kite String Tangle return with a slew of fresh singles, ranging from the bursting breakbeats of 'A New Day' to the warped sampling on the deep-house cut 'Good Catch' – with another single set to land very soon.
"They're really coming together," shares Harley when queried on the new material making its presence felt within the forthcoming live set.
"Everything feels a little more cohesive this time around – probably because these newer tracks are so dance-floor-focused and are based off a fairly similar sonic palette.
"I suppose I'm still trying to find my niche a little more, and these songs are reflective of what I really want to do right now."
Prior to 2023, the last time we heard from Harley in a musical venture was as one half of Tornado Club – a side-project with singer-songwriter Woodes that spawned an eponymous EP circa 2021.
As someone who has largely worked on his lonesome for the majority of his career, Danny was surprised by how naturally he took to being part of a band – if only for a brief period of time. "I reckon a lot of solo artists will relate to having to wear a lot of different hats, so to speak," he says.
"It was just really nice to have another band member to bounce ideas off, or even just splitting up the workload a little better. Elle [Graham, aka Woodes] and I really bonded over that, and throughout making Tornado Club together it felt like we were both seeing how the other half lives.
"More than anything, doing that EP allowed me to come back with a fresh perspective on The Kite String Tangle – and things like that are always going to be really helpful when you're focusing on your creative output again."
As The Kite String Tangle continues to adapt and evolve as a project, Harley is asked what he wishes he knew at the start of making music that he has come to know later on in life.
After a moment of reflection, Harley replies: "It's always worth spending that extra night on the little thing in the mix that bugged you.
"Remember, you don't have to do everything yourself. Collaborate more. External ears are always helpful. Don't be afraid to let the songs be part of you – because you just might end up playing them again and again for the next ten years.
"It's going to be a great career, and having anyone listen to what you have to do at all is such a privilege. Be appreciative and be grateful."
The Double Vision twin bill features Max Cooper (31 August) and The Kite String Tangle (1 September) at Brisbane Powerhouse. The Kite String Tangle (DJ set) also plays Cry Baby Fest at Adelaide Gaol 25 November.
