Kristian Harting - The Fumes (2020)

I set out to create a simple, dark, melancholic, and beautiful indie pop/rock album with short ‘straight to the juice’ songs. I had the Beatles’ Rubber Soul-era ideal. Cut the fancy sound imagery and emphasize the songs, the vocals, and lyrics. I brought in musicians for the recordings, and most of the songs are recorded live in the studio with drums and bass. ~ Kristian Harting

The fumes are the easy thrills that help us make it through the day in the consumeristic circus of money and status, power and pleasure. It’s the short term happiness by quick shots of endorphines that blur how the circus is devouring humans and nature and isolate us from each other while pretending the opposite. It’s the feeling of knowing we are heading for desaster and all we can do is to abuse and ignore ourselves to enjoy the ride. I don’t do well in this circus, and I have a very hard time seeing a way out of it. It was a lot on my mind writing these songs and the album resonates these thoughts. For me it’s a very angry record, but I’m not sure everybody will hear it as such.