John is joined by Kae Tempest and Fraser T. Smith to discuss how they wrote and recorded the album “Self-Titled”.

Kae Tempest is an English recording artist and author. He began his career performing at open mic nights around London, quickly gaining a reputation for his powerful lyrical performances blending rap and spoken word poetry. Between 2008 and 2012 he toured internationally with his band Sound of Rum, launching a solo career with debut album ‘Everybody Down’ in 2014. It and second album ‘Let Them Eat Chaos’, released in 2015, were both nominated for the Mercury Prize. Kae has since released three further solo albums, including BRIT Award-nominated ‘The Line Is A Curve’. Kae is widely recognised as one of the UK alternative scene’s most essential voices, acclaimed for his exceptional lyricism and acute social commentary. Both are particularly evident on his fifth studio album, ‘Self Titled’, released earlier this year. ‘Self-Titled’ is Kae’s first collaboration with multi-award winning UK producer, songwriter and musician Fraser T. Smith.

The trio sit down at Fraser’s studio, Utopia, where the album was written and recorded, to discuss developing creative harmony working together for the first time, the process of building a song using ProTools, the influence of drum textures and bass sounds on the record, how one creative choice can completely change the direction of a track and much more.

Tracks discussed: Statue In The Square, Forever, Till Morning

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LISTEN to ‘Self Titled’ here - Self Titled by Kae Tempest

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Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective - https://lynkify.in/song/sunshine-buddy/YT47TLFI

GEAR MENTIONS

Ableton Live

Avid Pro Tools

Soundtoys Phase Mistress

Valhalla reverb

XLN RC-20 Retro Colour

Akai MPC4000

Akai MPC-X

Steven Slate Trigger

Oeksound Soothe 2

Soundtoys FilterFreak

AMS RMX16

Roland SH-101

Boss RE-202 Space Echo Pedal

Moog Voyager

Soundtoys Decapitator

Pultec EQP-1A

Mellotron

Shure SM7B

Manley Gold microphone

Tubetech CL 1B

Undertone Audio Unfairchild

Eventide H3000 Harmoniser

Eventide MicroPitch

Undertone Audio MPDI-4

Waves H-Delay

OUR GEAR

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The Twilight Zone - Issue #1 Blanks