UK darkwave duo The KVB make perfect music for night drives on deserted roads, no cars for miles with moonlight as your guide. Look no further than the group’s new album Tremors, out now via Geoff Barrow’s Invada Records, that’s full of sleek synths, motorik beats, pulsing basslines and whispered vocals. (Read our review here.) Listen to Tremors, and watch the new video for the title track below.
As for night drives, The KVB made us a playlist featuring 10 songs perfect for just such a trip. “As a band that has done quite a bit of touring over the past decade or so, we have become very used to long car journeys,” they tell us. “This is a playlist of tracks that we think are perfectly suited to driving at night – a mixture of songs to lose yourself in while staring at the unending road in front of you and also tracks that give a welcome energy boost to keep you awake.”
The KVB’s 10 Tracks for Night Drives playlist includes songs by Darkside, Mueran Humanos, Real Lies, Rigopolar, and more. We added a couple KVB songs to bookend it, as well. Listen and read their commentary on the songs below.
The KVB – 10 Tracks for Night Drives
1. Rigopolar – Sun Of Lemuria
We first heard this track while we were in Mongolia last year and we have been listening to it a lot ever since then! This is one to turn up really loud to get immersed in – there’s something about the groove that feels like it could go on forever.
2. DARKSIDE – The Only Shrine I’ve Ever Seen (Live in D, July 17 2014)
Darkside are always on heavy rotation when we’re travelling and this live album is especially great to listen to on a long drive. All the tracks have been expanded on from the LP versions and it just has a wonderful ebb and flow to lose yourself in. This track is a highlight of ours.
3. Acid Arab – Stil (Vox Low Remix)
We are big fans of Vox Low’s music and this remix has their slightly menacing Krautrock inspired sound all over it and has a really head banging, hypnotic quality to it.
4. Mulatu Astatke – Yègellé Tezeta
We love the Ethiopiques compilation albums and there are so many great tracks we could pick from them, but this is one that we played a lot while on the road supporting Editors in 2022 and provides a mesmerising dose of energy.
5. Real Lies – North Circular
This band was introduced to us by Jack Milwaukee AKA M!R!M and it’s the perfect soundtrack for driving out of London (on the North Circular) on a cold and wet night.
6. Kerala Dust – Nevada
This track is another recent discovery and another one that’s best listened to loud. The minimal repetitive feel and the sparsity the instrumentation evoke the feelings of an endless road.
7. Dur Dur Band – Hiyeeley
When we toured the US with Al Lover in 2022, he introduced us to a lot of great music from all different genres and countries during our long drives together. This is one that always reminds us of that tour.
8. DEK – Pylon #1
We toured the UK in 2022 with DEK supporting us and got to know and love their music, in particular the way their tracks develop and take you into a trance-like state. They have gone through some line up changes, but this track is still one we play a lot.
9. Finn – Do Good Boys Get The Fear
We first hear this on the radio during our 2018 UK tour and it became a bit of an anthem for that tour. It’s a banger to blast loud if you need to stay awake.
10. Mueran Humanos – Mi Auto
We’ve had the pleasure of playing a few times with this legendary Argentinian via Berlin duo and still love listening to this album when we’re on the road.
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