Interview: The Kite String Tangle on Teaming Up with Felsmann + Tiley for ‘Open Fields’
Brisbane electronic producer and songwriter The Kite String Tangle (aka Danny Harley) has teamed up with German avant-trance duo Felsmann + Tiley for a breathtaking new single, Open Fields. Out July 17, the track blends cinematic synthwave textures with Harley’s signature emotive vocals, setting the tone for Felsmann + Tiley’s forthcoming concept album Protomensch. We caught up with Harley to chat about the collaboration, recording in Germany, and how stepping outside his comfort zone sparked new creative energy.
Hey Danny, congrats on the new track with Felsmann + Tiley! How does it feel to have this one out?
Hey there, yeah it’s great, it’s been a long time in the making, probably around 1 year, and so definitely nice to have some other people’s ears on it
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“Open Fields” feels like such a cinematic, synth-laden moment—how did this collaboration with Felsmann + Tiley first come about, and what drew you to their sound?
We actually have studios in the same building in Fortitude Valley and so we always see each other in the hallways but this is the result of finally getting in a room and seeing what we could come up with. It was a really fun and natural process and we each have a lot of respect for one another
You recorded this track during an in-person session in Germany. What was the vibe in the studio like, and how did it feel to step outside your usual sonic territory?
The F&T project famously uses no drums and so it was definitely a bit different to have so much more space to write over. That said the synth work is really next level and can easily capture your attention so it was really fun to find way to interact with that and find spaces for each of the few elements to really shine.
The track sits within Felsmann + Tiley’s upcoming concept album Protomensch, which explores modern existence and big existential themes. How did those ideas shape your approach to the lyrics and vocals?
To be honest, I’m a bit of an overthinker and so the themes felt very comfortable and natural for me. Thinking a lot about things way bigger than yourself and then contextualizing them in a really intimate or relatable way is something i really enjoy doing and I feel like this song lent itself really well to that approach
Dominik from F+T has been living in Brisbane for a few years now—did that shared connection to Brisbane influence the creative process or make the collab feel more “local-global” to you?
I think it probably felt more global for each of us. For me it definitely felt more European in its sound and approach and for F+T it probably felt a lot more indie Australian haha. It’s funny the emotions you can project on to a song with those preconceptions too.
Between your solo work and collabs like this, you’ve explored a lot of different electronic textures. Has working on Open Fields inspired any new directions for The Kite String Tangle?
If anything it has drawn me back to some of the cinematic and ambient textures and atmospheres that I used to play with a lot during my early releases. So i’m excited to revisit and explore that inspiration.
Finally, if Open Fields were the soundtrack to a movie scene, what would be happening on screen? (Give us your dream cinematic moment.)
Possibly a slow ascending shot from earth into the stratosphere / galaxy that gradually makes you feel tiny because the universe is so large.
As Open Fields sends its euphoric message of hope out into the world, Harley is already teasing a return to more cinematic, ambient sounds in his solo work. For now though, this stunning collaboration is a reminder of what happens when local and global sounds collide and of music’s power to make us feel small in the best possible way.
