Kayla Painter: The ‘Monday Is OK’ Mix

Music

Kayla Painter’s musical activity is centred around the human relationship with sound.

Though this informs the bulk of her academic work – which includes lecturing at University of Gloucester, dBs music and Bath Spa University in areas of production, music, philosophy and political economy – her personal projects are also guided by this humanistic experience through her exploration of field recordings and experimental composition.

Picking up early props from Gilles Peterson, as part of his ‘Future Bubbler’s programme, Kayla’s continued to gain support from Gilles’ camp via appearances at We Out Here with her captivating and immersive AV show and through her ‘Connections to Sound’ residency on Worldwide FM which swirls around downtempo and experimental sounds.

Her own compositions, which also showcase her talents as a multi-instrumentalist, have resulted in everything from commissions and non-commerical releases to funded projects, acclaimed singles and remixes for the likes of W.H. Lung and Scrimshire.

Her latest EP ‘Somewhen’ came out on the 8th of October and a couple of the tracks feature in her Monday mix she’s put together for us, which explores sparse, meditative motifs with a touch of the experimental…

Ransom Note · Kayla Painter: The ‘Monday Is OK’ Mix

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you, what are you?

Kayla Painter – I’m in Bristol. I’m a producer, primarily, but I play a few instruments which sometimes appear on my tracks.

Tell us about the Monday mixtape you’ve put together for us.

It’s chilled and spacious, with some experimental thought provoking gems thrown in for good measure.

Couple of bits from my new EP release ‘Somewhen’ in there too.

If it were to be drawn what would it look like?

A black and white photograph ripped up and stuck together with pink sweets

If it were a food what would it be?

Vacuum packed food that’s gone into space. neat and kind of interesting looking, and it tastes surprisingly good but is also super nutritious.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

In headphones maybe, or loud enough that you can get lost in it and ignore everyone. Or on a walk probably.

What should we be wearing?

The most comfortable clothing.

Where was it recorded?

In my home studio.

Are you on the same wavelength as the boomtown rats or do you actually like Mondays?

I hate them, I guess.

Who got you hooked on electronic music?

My ears.

Who would you say are your biggest influences and what are you hoping to achieve with your music?

Burial, Four Tet and Holly Herndon.

I just want to make music that other people can get something out of – which they do, so I want to keep doing that.

What were your original aspirations as musicians and how do you think you’re shaping up?

I’m not sure, musicians and the job of being a musician often appears one way, but it really isn’t that way.

Things are going well for me at the moment but I think the key is to never think that. Because it changes as quickly as the weather does here in Bristol.

What was the first electronic record you heard and how did it make you feel?

Gosh I don’t know. Maybe Low by David Bowie – not strictly electronic but it’s definitely there.

It made me feel there was a new world to explore.

How does your brain work when making music? How does it work when you aren’t?

It works in a coordinated fashion when making music, mostly. Especially when I am programming drums.

It varies the rest of the time. I think I need to quit all social media to really know.

What were the first and last records you bought?

I just pre ordered Mira Calix – Absent Origin.

First record – I couldn’t tell you, not because I don’t remember but more because I don’t want to…!

What are you obsessed with at the moment?

Playing live music again. I’m halfway through a tour supporting Rival Consoles.

If you could travel in time…where in time would you go? Why?

I reckon I have some questions for Plato tbh.

Some self help questions for a Monday…

Am I excited to dive into the challenges that I have lined up for the week?

Yeah sure, each week of work is different for me which I like.

Am I looking forward to engaging with the people I am meeting or working with?

Hmmmmm yes. people are strange though.

Am I going to my dream job?

On some days yeh

Am I being compensated fairly for the value I bring to my job?

On the music front? of course not haha.

Do I feel energised, rested, and confident?

Absolutely not.

If you were trapped on a desert island with one other person, who would you choose? How long would it be before you eat them?

I dont know, I’m a vegetarian – so maybe a kind of vegetable person?

Your doctor says you need more exercise….what do you take up for exercise?

Hunting fox hunters

What’s your answer to everything?

‘I don’t know’

Anything else we need to discuss?

Thanks for inviting me, a woman, to do this.

Tracklist
Dawn Chorus – Jon Hopkins
Kenopsia – Kayla Painter
Miyama No Kitsune – Masayoshi Fujita
Sea – Shuttle 358
Beginnings from the Sea – Kayla Painter
Auraeliation – Hinako Omori
Phantom Ships – Kayla Painter
Hy A Scullyas Lyf A Dhagrow – Aphex Twin
Like Orchids – Space Afrika
Ladybird Drone – Space Afrika
In Parallel (acoustic) – Kelly Moran
Everything We Miss – Non Square
Pulses of Information – Rival Consoles
Regeneration – Hélèn Volgelsinger
Mt. Erased – Qasim Naqvi
Frozen – Koreless
Refuge of Majesty – Llyr