A raft of Suite music
by Stephen Murphy
Kontiki Suite from Carlisle are fantastic.
I could quite happily leave it there and go onto another band, but it wouldn’t make a great read really. What we have here is one of the most outstanding bands of the festival season 2011. I caught the six peice playing Cockrock and Solfest this year and loved every minute of their sets.
This psychadelic americana-infused music is both hypnotic and soooo mellow.
Listening to one of their tracks, Magic Carpet Ride for example, is like taking a stroll through the Mojave Desert and taking a right turn into the Sixties.
Hints of Neil Young, The Doors, My Bloody Valentine are all wrapped together to take you on a musical journey which you will either love or not.
You very well may know the sound of Kontiki Suite as they are on the sound track to The Cumberland Building Society advert which has recently been broadcast.
Obviously I’m a fan. I like their vibe. They aren’t afraid to be themselves and don’t compromise their ways, or music, for love nor money, which is really refreshing and honest and the bedrock for any band looking to the future. What I mean is that the tunes the lads play today will be as relevent and as fresh in five or 10 years time.
Lead singer and guitarist, Ben Singh, gives us an insight into one of Cumbria’s best kept seccrets..
“It seems so long ago since we began; probably five or six years I think. The line up has changed quite a bit but we are really settled now and its made life a whole lot easier.”
Kontiki Suite realeased The Stars EP back in the summer and have been working on their first Album, which is completed, almost. Due out in the New Year the album consits of 13 tracks and will be available through i Tunes and hard copies of both the EP and the new album, named Down by The River, will be available at gigs and also by visting their myspace pages.The video to Magic Carpet Ride is beautifully and simply shot with the help of a few freinds and can be found on YouTube.
Which is your fave track?
Ben: I like ‘em all, I couldn’ t possibly say; all in all it’s a good album. The tracks are from different eras since our inception. A history of Kontiki Suite if you like.”
The band consists of Chris on drums, Craig plays percussion/keys, Mario supplies the bass, Marcus the lead guit and Johnny steel/guits... and then there‘s Ben of course.
What was your highlight of the year?
Playing Solfest clinches that; it is simply the best local festival, we think.
Where does the sound come from?
I love the likes of Neil Young, Townes van Zandt, Dylan and when I’m writing I suppose things that mean something to you surface. That said the whole vibe changes when everyone in the band has imput. Also Johnny writes as well and he is definitely influnced by the whole indie scene.
Best live music venues in Carlisle?
I think The Source and The Brickyard are probably the best venues that we have
played and both for very different reasons.
Where are you playing next?
We are gigging at The Cluny, in Newcastle, on February 25, with The Lucky Strikes and we will be heading back down to London later in the year . Also we are looking at various festivals and we will obviously be doing the odd gig here, in Carlisle.
To keep tabs on Kontiki Suite and to find out what the lads are up to,
visit their myspace page at www.myspace.com/kontikisuite or Facebook.
