Kerala Dust are a band so deep, so vast and so enigmatic that defining their musical style is as difficult as understanding the complexities of their members themselves.
The three Brits and one Luxembourger are self-confessed jokesters who yet seek out the stillness of the Swiss Alps and rural Tuscany to compose brilliant, moody, brooding songs that stop you in your tracks.Frontman Edmund Kenny swoons his deep tones over lyrics like 'I'm six feet of cellophane under a suitcase of broken shoes,' and you quickly forget life outside the song.
"Pascal, our drummer, is the neutral European in a bunch of loud Brits," Kenny confirms from somewhere in northern California.
"One time at passport control, he had to convince the passport officer that Luxembourg was a real country. After half an hour, he came out saying, 'I can't believe I had to convince him'.
"Laurie on guitar will come out with the quickest jokes. Sometimes they're so quick you don't even realise they were funny until ten seconds later.
"Our front of house engineer Nick gets bus banter started and everyone joins in. I'm good after about midday. Beforehand, I'm a bit of a grumpy guy."
The band released their second album 'Violet Drive' in February 2023, a project which began in the Swiss Alps years before. "It was a strange time. It was 2020, so the world was a little bit confused," shares Kenny.
"My main aim was to go and find a hideaway. I found this spot in the Swiss Alps that I could stay in as long as I wanted, and worked there with a Swiss drummer. It was May 2020, so it was a dreamy, trippy time."
Itching to get back to creating in solitude, the band recently sought a new quiet place in rural Italy to compose their upcoming album. "It was this beautiful studio in the absolute middle of nowhere.
"I wanted to replicate what we'd done in the Alps. The guys couldn't be there last time, because of travel restrictions during COVID. So we found this old place that's run by a couple of Australians in Tuscany, and spent two and a half weeks there
"I hardly left the house. I thought we were gonna do loads of tourism, Florence was two hours away, but in the end, we got loads of food in, we cooked, and we started drinking way too early.
"All of these ideas came out. I came home with almost too many new recordings to sort through. So we're gonna try and do that again. I think it's been fantastic getting out, going to new places.
"We're looking at going to Joshua Tree in California next spring. People say Australia's great to record in as well, so that's an idea that's been floated."
Following on from an extensive American and Mexican tour, Kerala Dust will grace Australian shores for the first time ever in November. "I really like a lot of Australian music.
"I'm a huge Nick Cave fan, and more recently, Dope Lemon. The funny thing is that you often don't realise artists are Australian, and then suddenly you clock it. For a country with that size population, the musical output is crazy.
"People have been hyping me up for Australian beer, and the Asian food in Melbourne. My first real Australian flat white."
Called hypnotic, seductive and dreamy, the band's live shows interweave intricate synths with stunning guitar solos to continually bring forth the unexpected, with Kenny's stunning vocals topping it off.
"'Still There' is a personal favourite to play. There's this lovely synth riff that comes in and a really nice gelling together of the different elements of the band."
A veteran of touring, Kenny offers practical advice on surviving the lengthy adventures the band has come to expect. "Fresh socks change your life.
"If you're on tour, always nick a hotel pillow. They will bill you for it, but it's worth it 'cause if you get yourself a pillow, you can basically have a nap anywhere. And if you can have a nap anywhere, you're gonna survive."
When pressed for his favourite childhood candy, Kenny divulges: "Nerds. Do you remember those? Maybe once a year, I'll buy a little box of nerds and I still love it." Not so grumpy after all.
Kerala Dust 2023 Tour Dates
Thu 16 Nov - Oxford Art Factory (Sydney)Fri 17 Nov - Strawberry Fields (Tocumwal)
Sat 18 Nov - Felons Barrel Hall (Brisbane)
Sun 19 Nov - The Corner Hotel (Melbourne)
