#4610: With Kae Tempest, From London

Kae Tempest is a gifted wordsmith and performer; they've won prestigious poetry awards in England, written a best-selling novel, had several plays produced, and released two previous albums, both of which were nominated for the Mercury Prize. “It’s almost unfair to have that much talent in one person” – says John Schaefer. Since they last visited us in 2019, Tempest has come out as non-binary and released the brilliant record, The Line is a Curve, as Kae Tempest. John Schaefer recently spoke with them while in London about the album. 

Tempest feels a deep connection to the creative community around South London and the incredible guest collaborators on this latest album. They thought that it was time to make space for other voices in addition to their own. At another point in the interview, Schaefer gets introduced to and smell-checked by Tempest’s dog, Murphy, who has beautiful blue eyes… as Kae Tempest explains working with Dan Carey, their producer. It’s a true partnership - how they write everything in real time, right there in the room and Tempest feels that Carey brings out a higher level of creativity in them and vice versa. They nurture an idea, crafting and re-drafting, all but for “Salt Coast” where Dan “scored the poem.” Tempest also shares what they’ve learned and what they’re still digesting from working with producer Rick Rubin.

Tempest has spent lots of time studying and experimenting with flow, just like a rapper or hip hop producer might. And while their flow has its own meter and meaning, there's definitely a built-in musicality to the words and their delivery, which ultimately makes way for the power of words. Tempest also touches on the complexity of British identity - and Kae’s own journey with their non-binary identity. They have found that their journey is just beginning. – Caryn Havlik

Program #4610: With Kae Tempest, From London (first aired 4/7/22)

ARTIST: Kae Tempest
WORK: Holy Elixir [4:11]
RECORDING: The Book of Traps and Lessons
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: shop.fictionrecords.co.uk

ARTIST: Kae Tempest, feat. Lianne La Havas
WORK: No prizes [4:17]
RECORDING: The Line is a Curve
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: https://KaeTempest.lnk.to/TLIACID

ARTIST: Kae Tempest
WORK: Salt Coast [5:53]
RECORDING: The Line is a Curve
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: https://KaeTempest.lnk.to/TLIACID

ARTIST: Kae Tempest
WORK: These Are the Days [4:02]
RECORDING: The Line is a Curve
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: https://KaeTempest.lnk.to/TLIACID

ARTIST: Kae Tempest
WORK: Grace [4:33]
RECORDING: The Line is a Curve
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: https://KaeTempest.lnk.to/TLIACID

ARTIST: Kae Tempest, Feat. Kevin Abstract
WORK: More Pressure [5:30]
RECORDING: The Line is a Curve
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: https://KaeTempest.lnk.to/TLIACID

ARTIST: Kae Tempest, Feat. Kevin Abstract
WORK: People's Faces [5:13]
RECORDING: The Book of Traps and Lessons
SOURCE: Fiction 
INFO: shop.fictionrecords.co.uk