Music for the people | Kill The Action

How does it feel to finally have your first EP out there? How long did it take to roll out, and what was the process of putting it together like?

It feels great to have finally immortalised six of our songs. We had tested the waters with different arrangements during our live performances over the past year or so and we all felt that it was time to enter the studio to focus on another dimension of the band’s creative process. ‘For All You People’ was actually recorded over a couple of months at Digital Black Productions, where an ‘outside the box’ approach was definitely key to discovering unchartered territory. Certain songs were written a couple of years ago and later tweaked in line with the sound of our more recent tracks, whereas others were written with greater attention to capturing the band’s current phase of experimentation and development.

There appears to be a cohesive sound to the EP even if you mix in elements of genres like indie rock and electronic music. How did you achieve this balance?

It was a conscious decision not to constrain ourselves to a one-dimensional style of music. The fact that the band’s sound is predominantly synth-driven opens up new sonic spheres which leave room for other influences to surface. To our mind, achieving a ‘balance’ implies that certain genres might be difficult to reconcile, whereas, we would argue that the reality of things is that the band has developed its own tailor-made approach aimed at creating a unique sound which blends two different worlds – rock, which we were all accustomed to in varying degrees or forms, and the world of electronica, which also carries with it infinite possibilities.

What do you make of the local music scene, and which are your favourite local musicians right now?

There are some great Maltese bands out there at the moment. Beesqueeze, Plato’s Dream Machine and Brodu come to mind, particularly in view of their particular sound and innovation – a different type of approach to doing things, and something which we easily relate to.

However, whereas the scene may have gained in terms of quality over the past twenty years, it has also lost a number of performance venues, as well as exposure and added value. With only a couple of venues actually acting as a showcase for the underground music scene, most bands nowadays rely mainly on festivals in an attempt at building their own audience. This, in itself, is seen by many as creating a limited inner circle of friends which is difficult to penetrate.

Given that Valletta is currently serving as the European Capital of Culture, do you think local music – particularly the genres you form part of – stand to benefit from it?

Not really. Whereas, certain musicians, particularly the more mainstream ones, definitely have more to gain from this, the true alternative music scene will most probably be unaffected. It is common knowledge that artistic direction in Malta, particularly where state entities are involved, has always taken a very conservative and safe approach which has failed to recognise that ‘culture’ is a living and breathing concept. The promotion of one’s cultural heritage should also entail the promotion of contemporary music culture, which, in itself, is not only limited to the mainstream. The last time we checked, a handful of aspiring bands were still waiting for the government to make available rehearsal spaces which actually fit their needs. Best not to hold one’s breath!

What’s next for you?

After the release of ‘For All You People’, we were eager to get back to the song writing process and we have already started working on new material to be included in our second EP to be released sometime during the latter half of this year.  We will also be releasing the majority of the songs off our first EP as singles accompanied by music videos, as part of the promotion leading up to our second EP. In the meantime, we will also be focusing on live performances, which are always the highlight of any live band’s plans. So make sure you stay tuned for more action coming your way very soon…