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Getting lost with Kasbo

13 July 2018 | 11:11 am | Emma Jones

Music has the ability to completely transport you to another place entirely, all within your mind. There's not much better than sitting back, closing your eyes and letting the music you're listening to completely take over, allowing you to get lost in the sounds. Some artists do it better than others, and it's those that inject this form of escapism into everything they do, always searching for that sweet spot where everything else just fades away.

One such artist is KASBO, a Swedish producer whose debut album, Places We Don't Know, has already acquired over 25 million streams across all platforms since it's release in early 2018. Out on ODESZA's Foreign Family Collective, the record utilises both Kasbo's knack for exploring other worlds through his music, while his collaborators bring forth this escape even more. It's a glorious record from start to finish, which is why we're so excited that he's finally set to bring his live show to Australia to play it for fans here.

Along with two special headline shows, Kasbo will be performing at this year's Splendour In The Grass, but before he touches down in Australia, we chatted to him all about his album, how things have changed for him since it was released and what we can expect for his Australian shows.

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You spoke earlier in the year about how you found the creation of your debut album a very beneficial process in that it developed you as an artist. How have things changed for you now that the dust has settled and you’ve been taking the album all over the world?

I feel like everything has changed, I can definitely feel people knowing more about me and my music, it’s all just spreading a lot more which is a lot of fun. It enables me to tour, to play more festivals and travel the world and work with more people. I’m really loving where my life is at right now.

Places We Don’t Know has this beauty that can transport you into another world completely, and you’ve spoken before about how important this is for you to capture in not just your music but in all aspects of Kasbo. Why has this been so important to you over the duration of Kasbo?

Thank you! I think it’s just pretty essential for you to get lost. I feel with art you need to constantly convince the beholder of it that it’s this natural living thing. It’s not put there by someone, it just is. And to do that I feel like there needs to be a consistency to it, it needs to feel connected, real and make sense.

Your music is obviously quite personal to you and means a great deal to you - does it ever make you nervous to let people in on what you’ve created?

I don’t think so. I obviously sometimes get nervous about what people will think about my work but not as much about letting people in. In my personal life I feel like I’m a very transparent person, and talk about my feelings and thoughts without thinking about it too much. It’s also when you’re a producer rather than a lyricist it’s not as literal so it’s more about letting people in on a feeling rather than a specific thought or story, which doesn’t feel as scary to me.

You’ve worked with some really amazing artists on Places We Don’t Know - why is collaboration so important to your music?

It just feels pretty vital to me for furthering a message sometimes. I work with a lot of vocalists because it’s something I can’t, and would rather stay away from myself. Instrumental music is amazing because it’s more general and leaves more up to interpretation, which in turn in my opinion can lead to some pretty personal moments. But with vocals and lyrics you can just explore a completely different avenue of expression which is really exciting to me.

You prefer to work over the internet rather than have your collaborators in the room with you due to the ability to work at your own pace - do you think this ties into how important it is for your music to be able to take listeners into their own little worlds inside their minds, artists on the songs included?

I think so. I feel like I work the best when I work for so long I forget I’m working, when I just get lost in the feeling of creating. Maybe that’s when I’m able to achieve something that makes other people get lost in the music.

The creation of Places We Don’t Know started after your tour with ODESZA. What was something you took away from that experience that you were able to use for the album?

The important of consistency and the idea of creating a world with your art instead of just posting songs online.

A lot of your influences such as Mt Kimbie, Bonobo and The xx have a clear impact on your work. Who are some artists you’ve been listening to in 2018?

Holy Other, Tourist, Niklas Paschburg, Novo Amor, Jon Hopkins to name a few

You’ve never been to Australia before, and now you’re coming to arguably our biggest festival. You’ve discussed previously that you wanted to create a universe for the listeners to be a part of. How has this translated to your current touring now and can we expect this other world of Kasbo to be included in your Australian shows?

I try to think of a show as a story to be told, different sections, different emotions, dynamics. I can’t wait to play over there!

Places We Don't Know is out now. Catch KASBO at the below dates.

20th July - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

21st July - Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

22nd July - Splendour In The Grass (SOLD OUT)

Interview by Emma Jones

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