In anticipation of their new EP Butter – out March 8 2024 – Amsterdam quintet The Klittens reveal the brittle “Reading Material”, which inspires comparisons to bands like Ought and Wire, fishing out those small saccharine victories within the drudgery of the everyday. What makes The Klittens such a fun operation is their fully collaborative songwriting dynamic: “Reading Material” was hatched by guitarist and vocalist Winnie Conradi.
“This song was an attempt to uplift myself,” Conradi says of the band’s latest track. “And I am happy to say that it did. In these periods of fatigue everything feels shallow – thoughts are short, emotions are stunned. These were the few notes and melodies I could come up with, while hearing the danceable beat that I had set the metronome to.”
On the song, Conradi meditates on the sources of joy that are rooted in smaller more ephemeral things, such as reading books, eating your favorite cereal or simply liking the way your hair is growing out. And realizing that life doesn’t need to always revolve around the high stakes and dramatic beats thrusted upon us by popular culture and fiction. Sometimes is just takes being in your happy place with all your favorite things within arm’s reach.
Conradi recorded the first version of Reading Material as a complete midi-track in GarageBand, using the inbuilt midi drum pad and synthesizers. “This gave it a warm and small feeling, a real bedroom song. In the studio the challenge was how to maintain the warm sound using the band’s instruments. My favorite instrument is the bass guitar so I hid a little bass solo in the end. I played it quite randomly on my laptop keyboard but then Michelle (Geraerts ) had to translate it in the studio to real life. She did this exceptionally, it’s my favorite part of the song. Laurie may have had the greatest challenge but she did a great job creating a warm, cute but danceable drum sequence.”
“Reading Material” is the second glimpse of Butter after unveiling “Universal Experience” last October. You can preorder the EP here. Furthermore, The Klittens will hit the road in the UK this week with fellow Dutch indie stalwarts Real Farmer and Personal Trainer. Check all the dates here:
25/1 – The Windmill, London
26/1- The Lanes, Bristol
27/1 – Cavern, Exeter
29/1 – The Arts Centre, Norwich
30/1 – The Horn, St Albans
31/1 – Junction 2, Cambridge
1/2 – The Crescent, York
2/2 – Trades Club, Hebden Bridge
3/2 – Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield
Watch the music video for “Reading Material” below.
You can follow The Klittens on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
