The partnership between Kite and Blanck Mass has proven fruitful. Initially billed as two songs, they’ve teamed up again for a surprise third track called “Hand Out the Drugs.”
You can find it on Spotify and Youtube.
“Hand Out the Drugs” follows previous Kite/Blanck Mass collaborations “Teenage Bliss” and “Bowie ’95.” Of the three tracks, this one sounds most like a Kite song, although Blanck Mass’s buzzsaw electronics are still there in the mix.
Kite has been on a nostalgia trip lately. Since returning last year from a brief hiatus, they’ve been releasing songs that follow a coming-of-age timeline: childhood (“Tranås/Stenslanda“), the formative teen years (“Teenage Bliss“), and young adulthood (“Bowie ’95“).
“Hand Out the Drugs” appears to break the pattern. They’re still nostalgic, but this time they’re longing for the pre-COVID era of concerts and parties. On Facebook, Kite says it’s “a song about the extreme longing for cultural kicks in a controlled, locked-down world.” I think we can all relate.
There’s still no word if Kite is planning to release another EP. The duo typically releases EPs with roman numeral titles, so presumably the next one will be called VII. Kite’s last EP, VI, contained incredible songs like “Up for Life” and “Nocturne.”
https://youtu.be/631Gxsl6wao
Kite “Hand Out the Drugs” lyrics
The vocals are mixed pretty deep in this song, and the way Nicklas Stenemo drags out the final syllables sounds like Cyndi Lauper. It’s tough to understand what he’s singing! But I think I’ve picked out every word.