Dream-pop quartet Kidsmoke return with the release of their infectiously uplifting new single She Takes You Under, out now via Big Indie Records.

Known for their trademark ability to write sweet and sunny hooks, She Takes You Under is no exception. The single is filled with sparkling synths, driving beats and shimmering harmonies, creating a sound akin to the likes of Sunflower Bean or Bombay Bicycle Club’s pastoral pop soundscapes. She Takes You Under once again showcases Kidsmoke’s capability to create crisp, shoegaze-tinged pop that can transport you straight into the sunshine.

In this interview spotlight, I chat with Kidsmoke about the latest release, challenges, technology and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?

We each have really broad and varied tastes in music, which is great for pulling in influences and suggesting new music to each other. ‘She Takes You Under’ specifically is a nod to our love of the 80s style of indie – we’re big fans of bands like The Cure, The Go Betweens and Prefab Sprout, which you can definitely hear in our sound.

What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?

We are all just completely obsessed with music really. Lance (vocals/guitar) and James (Bass/vocals) have been playing in bands since they were teenagers (having first met aged 4 at primary school) and Sophie (Lead Guitar/vocals) and Ash (Drums) met while studying music at University. We all came together serendipitously via mutual friends and the rest is history. We have a drive to make music that we like more than anything, we love interesting and engaging tracks ourselves so we’re always pushing for that – if other people like it too then that’s the cherry on top.

Who or what influences your creativity?

We draw our inspiration from all sorts of things; life, travel, people, places, experiences, music. One of the big benefits of playing a lot of shows is getting to watch a loads of amazing bands.

What was the last song you listened to?

‘You’re Not Always On My Mind’ by Australian band ‘Quivers’. We watched these guys play on our last night at SXSW this year and even though it was 1am and we were all exhausted we absolutely loved it.

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

We pretty much deal in digital and music streaming these days, but are suckers for a good vinyl for a favourite artist or a special release – there’s nothing better.

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?

We do use Bandcamp and that’s great for fans who like to buy a download, but in terms of personal preference we’re all big into Spotify – even though the rates are appalling. I’m sure the competition will catch up at some point, but right now nothing comes close to it. They also, they have a really great ‘Spotify for Artists’ platform which we get a lot of good stats from (we’re nerds).

Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?

Presence is a big thing these days, which is super hard to maintain while trying to keep things feeling genuine and authentic. Social media makes it much easier to reach out of course, but if you over-do it your interactions can become devalued. It’s a tricky balance.

Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?

Start off at our website and see where that takes you: www.kidsmoke.co.uk

Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?

We’re currently putting the finishing touches to our debut album – so keep any eye out for release news in the coming months. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.

Thanks for the chat 🙂 we should do it again sometime.