The strong sense of urgency surrounding the band, and the honest, yet ambitious sound of the album was convincing and quite unexpected, coming from a first-time act. The album earned the Danish band rave reviews, as well as a prestigious spot on the Roskilde festival’s legendary main stage.
For their next album Kitty Wu teamed up with renowned producer Rob Ellis, known for his many years of collaboration with PJ Harvey. Ellis would prove to be a key character in the band’s storyline, and helped shape and sharpen the sound and identity of Kitty Wu.
With “The Rules of Transportation”(2003) Kitty Wu grew into their own and perfected their specific brand of poetic and alternative rock. The album also saw Robert Lund gaining a position as a deeply fascinating singer and songwriter.
Ellis returned to produce “Knives and Daggers”(2005), a detached diary of city living and the chilling culmination of Kitty Wu’s foray into dark minimalism.
Both albums were critically acclaimed and gave the band a loyal underground following, helped by a reputation as an exiting live act, earned through touring - both headlining as well as supporting acts like Brendan Benson and Muse.
Now Kitty Wu is back with “Someone Was Here”, an album that bares witness to the many changes that has taken place inside the band - changes that have pushed Kitty Wu into new sonic territory and created a hectic energy within their sound.
Since releasing their last album, Kitty Wu have parted ways with bass player Samuel Helles (who left for family reasons). The departure of Helles initially sent shockwaves through the tightly knit unit, but when the dust settled, they found that being forced to rethink the band, allowed them a new freedom which created a massive sense of electricity throughout the process.
“Someone Was Here” is the sound of conflict. Noise driven guitars and beatstructures are in a constant clash with Robert Lund’s atmospheric and ghostly vocals. This intentional fight creates a nervous, driven energy and a truly hypnotic soundscape, underlining the abstract and poetic lyrics about loss and departure.
Most of the self-produced album was recorded at Studio R, a converted warehouse in the industrial part of Copenhagen. Lund subsequently laid down the complex and evocative vocal arrangements by himself, during nightly sessions in the band’s own studio, Chapter 11. The vocals, which are a defining element of “Someone Was Here”, also draws a crooked line to some of the unorthodox influences behind the album - among them Simon and Garfunkel’s classic “Bookends”.
The album was mixed in London by Guy Fixsen (My Bloody Valentine, Breeders, etc).
“Someone Was Here” is Kitty Wu at their best and most ambitious, and places them at the forefront of a thriving and exciting Danish music movement. “Someone Was Here” is handled in Denmark by A:larm Music, whose roster includes Danish acts like Mew, Efterklang and Sune Wagner of Raveonettes.
The album is available on cd / limited vinyl / download
Kitty Wu is:
Robert Lund – Vocals/Guitars Allan Schøneberg – Bass Claus Bergmann – Drums
There is a Red Light
Kitty Wu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know
Because I see it
There is a red light
Shines upon
The city
For me
To go into it
Into the red light
I know
Because I'm in it
Blow me empty kisses
Cut me into pieces
So I feel right
Blow me empty kisses
Blow me hits and misses
So I feel right
So I feel right
The song "There is a Red Light" by Kitty Wu is an introspective piece that reflects on the singer's inner turmoil and conflicting desires. The mention of the "red light" represents the temptation or lure towards something enticing or forbidden. It could be a metaphorical representation of a dangerous or risky desire, or it could be something more simple like the actual red light of a city.
As the verse progresses, it is clear that the singer is being pulled towards the red light. The line "There is an invite for me to go into it" portrays the allure and excitement that comes with something forbidden or taboo. Despite being aware of the potential danger, the singer is still drawn to it.
The chorus of the song contains two contrasting lines, "Blow me empty kisses" and "Cut me into pieces". These lines depict the different emotions that the singer is experiencing. The "empty kisses" represent the fleeting and insincere nature of some of her desires, while "Cut me into pieces" represents the pain that she feels from not pursuing her deeper desires.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a red light
I am aware of the red light's presence
I know
I am certain
Because I see it
As evidenced by my visual perception
Shines upon
The red light emanates onto
The city
The urban landscape
There is an invite
An opportunity beckons
For me
Directed towards my person
To go into it
To accept the invitation and enter the red light
Into the red light
I am situated within the red light's boundaries
Blow me empty kisses
Bestow upon me meaningless gestures of affection
Cut me into pieces
Mutilate me into fragments
So I feel right
To satisfy my emotional state
Blow me hits and misses
Provide me with both successes and failures
So I feel right
To appease my desires and insecurities
Contributed by Mila E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Immortal Inaros
She was really respectful. Like she knows they smoke but she wasn't gonna expose them so she closed her eyes. Great woman.
Philosophy_Bot
Beep bop... I'm the Philosophy Bot. Here, have a quote:
"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking"
~ Nietzsche
Dr.slimewise
I made a joke about this scene when I was watching this Harriet Tubman movie her dad was a preacher said he didn't want to lie and say he hadn't seen her so we closed her eyes and refused to look at her when they were visiting
S A
No, she just knows they will deny if asked outright, so she gave them anonymity to get what she wanted. Also she wouldn't have to be burdened with the knowledge who smokes and having to do something about it
Nhatanh0475
Oh I get it why she close her eyes. Thanks.
Sabastian Maloy
@Philosophy_Bot Weird
x8den22
that was the greatest, absolute smoothest loop in all of youtube history.
Toby Clark
It cuts in the middle of the video? A perfect loop is a video with no noticable cuts. This literally just restarts the video in the middle rather than the end
Will Qin
@Toby Clarkwhoosh 😂
RustRadish
@Will Qin woosh what??