Drowse

Originally due to appear at Roadburn back in 2020, we’re honoured to belatedly welcome DROWSE AKA Kyle Bates to Roadburn.

Drowse is an outlet for Kyle to explore his place in the world; his music echoes what he experiences on the varied paths of this internal-reflection. Sometimes those paths lead to extraordinary places – 2019’s Light Mirror LP was inspired by an isolated trip to northern Iceland where he took up an artistic residency in 2018. The melancholic results are the sonic equivalent of a sliver of sunlight permeating an otherwise bleak and drizzly morning. The weight of Bates’ reflections is mighty, but it never quite succeeds in suffocating the shards of harmonious hope that glint in the winter sun. Elsewhere, he has collaborated with Otay:Onii on a captivating release titled Second Self, and 2022’s full length, Wane Into It, is a foggy folk anthology of grey thoughts and fragile ambience.

Kyle comments: “As a lifelong heavy music fan Roadburn took on a mythical quality for me from a young age. I specifically remember being in high school in 2008 and wishing I could go to the festival to see formative bands like Jesu, Boris, and Nadja. I have listened to Wolves in the Throne Room’s Live At Roadburn from that same year many times while imagining I was there. It’s been inspiring to watch how the festival has helped break open the definition of the term “heavy” in the years since. I was initially invited to play Roadburn in 2020 which was sadly cancelled due to the pandemic. While I did get to participate in Roadburn Redux––an expertly curated online version of the fest––I’ve been yearning to attend and play the fest in person. It feels incredibly fulfilling to be finally making the pilgrimage.”

Drowse both straddles and eschews multiple genre descriptors – the fuzziest parts of noise pop, the melancholy of slowcore, the more clearly defined corners of ambient electronic music are all present – ultimately creating something unique. Whilst at Roadburn, Kyle will also perform a special collaborative project with Ragana, adding yet another string to his extraordinary bow of musical accomplishments.

Drowse may, at times, be understated, but Kyle Bates should never be underestimated.

– Becky Laverty