Kite are a Swedish synth-pop group composed of Nicklas Stenemo (The Mo, Melody Club) and Christian Berg (Yvonne, Strip Music, The April Tears). Originating from Malmö and now based in Stockholm, they are signed to Astronaut Recordings and have published six EPs since their debut in 2008, each of which was released on CD and as a limited vinyl record edition. They have performed at festivals including Recession Festival in Århus, Denmark, Arvika Festival and Putte i parken in Sweden, Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, and Amphi Festival[1] in Cologne.
Kite | |
|---|---|
 Singer Nicklas Stenemo | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Malmö, Sweden |
| Genres | Synth-pop, new wave |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels | Astronaut Recordings |
| Members |
|
In 2020 they released new music with producer Benjamin John Powers.
Reception
editTheir eponymous debut EP Kite was reviewed favorably by the Side-Line magazine comparing it to classic 1980s synth-pop acts such as Erasure or Yazoo, while the German Sonic Seducer noted singer Stenemo's distinctive voice.[2][3] The EP Kite III was lauded for its original sound by Side-Line and Sonic Seducer, the latter marking a darker tone in this release.[4][5] The release Kite IV has been seen as a mix of classic 1980s synth-pop similar to OMD and modern, experimental sounds.[6] Kite's sixth EP VI was released in 2015. It has been compared to the sound of Kraftwerk and Vangelis.[7][8]
The 2010 single "Jonny Boy" reached position 49 in the Swedish charts.[9][10]
Discography
editAlbum
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart position |
|---|---|---|
| SWE [10] | ||
| Kite at the Royal Opera | 2020 | 9 |
| Kite VII | 2024 | 5 [11] |
EPs
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| SWE [10] | ||
| Kite | 2008 | — |
| Kite II | 2009 | 58 |
| Kite III | 2010 | — |
| Kite IV | 2011 | 49 |
| Kite V | 2013 | 38 |
| Kite VI | 2015 | — |
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| SWE [10] | ||
| "Jonny Boy" | 2010 | 49 |
| "Demons & Shame"[12] | 2017 | — |
| "Tranås/Stenslanda"[13] | 2020 | — |
| "Teenage Bliss" / "Bowie '95" | — | |
| "Hand Out the Drugs" / "Changing" | — | |
| "Panic Music" / "Bocelli"[14] | 2022 | — |
| "Don't Take the Light Away"[15] | 2023 | — |
Appearances
edit- Sweat Boys "Endlessly" feat. Nicklas Stenemo of Kite (2019)[16]
References
edit- ^ "Bands and running order - Amphi Festival 2023".
- ^ "Kite – Kite (Mcd EP Astronaut Recordings)". Side-Line. 8 January 2009.
- ^ Heinzelmann, Sandra M. (2008). "Kite – Kite (MCD)". Sonic Seducer (in German). No. 11. Thomas Vogel Media. Archived from the original on 2013-04-12.
- ^ "Kite – Kite III (Mcd EP Astronaut Recordings)". Side-Line. 29 October 2010.
- ^ Heinzelmann, Sandra M. (2010). "Kite – III". Sonic Seducer (in German). No. 10. Thomas Vogel Media. p. 89. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012.
- ^ "Kite – IV (EP - Astronaut Recordings)". Side-Line. 24 October 2011.
- ^ Strage, Fredrik (18 April 2015). "Kite: 'VI'". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ Heinzelmann, Sandra M. (2015). "Kite – VI". Sonic Seducer (in German). No. 5. p. 81.
- ^ "Kite – Jonny Boy (song)". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien.
- ^ a b c d "3st träffar hittades för sökkriterie: Kite". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 33, 2024". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Demons & Shame". KiteHQ. Retrieved 10 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Tranås/Stenslanda". KiteHQ. Retrieved 10 November 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Panic Music". KiteHQ. YouTube. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "Listen to Kite's new song, "Don't Take the Light Away"". Synthpop Fanatic. 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Endlessly. YouTube.