Kae Tempest: The Line Is A Curve | 4ZZZ Brisbane 102.1FM

- In the last 8 years, Kae Tempest has released four albums of spoken word poetry over electronic beats, six poetry books, a novel, a non-fiction book, three plays, plus an award winning hour long solo performance piece. Obviously not one to sit still creatively, Kae is back with The Line Is A Curve and continues to stride towards new creative ground.

Plenty has changed since the release of The Book Of Traps and Lessons in 2019, but more for Kae Tempest then most - given they have since come out as gender non-binary. The promotional material for this album promises a more personal and reflective release, saying: “The Line Is A Curve is about letting go. Of shame, anxiety, isolation and falling instead into surrender... Embracing the cyclical nature of time, growth, love.”

That description certainly bears out in acoustic closer Grace, and penultimate track and lead single More Pressure with its catchphrase of “less push more flow”. But even that song makes an interesting juxtaposition with preceding track Move - all jarring electronics and defiant chorus of “I’ll fight you till I win”.

Mostly this record is what we have come to expect from Kae Tempest – explorations of the ennui and neuroses of life in 21st century consumer capitalism. Epic album centrepiece Salt Coast is a classic Kae Tempest theme of feeling unfulfilled and grasping for more. No Prizes is a character study about growing older and leaving behind forgotten dreams. Don’t You Ever is a lovesong – one that focuses entirely on the insecurities of a relationship with none of the joy. The beats by long term collaborator Dan Carey are mostly taut and tense electronics, like being in a club but still dreading going back to the reality of Monday morning.

This is what Kae does well, and in fact few lyricists do it better. So I don’t mind the familiar though I had looked forward to the prospect of different themes – especially after hearing Kae’s wonderful verses guesting on last year’s euphoric drum’n’bass anthem Time Is Hardcore by High Contrast.

Speaking of features, The Line Is A Curve does mark the first time Kae has sought out collaborations with other vocalists. Kevin Abstract from US indie darlings Brockhampton feels a bit bland and superfluous on More Pressure; but elsewhere it works better – it’s worth hearing a verse of poetry from Fontaines DC singer Grian Chatten just to enjoy his glorious Irish accent; while on Smoking, Confucius MC might actually manage to outshine Tempest.

A Line Is A Curve doesn’t have the same linear storyline as the last two allbums, other than maybe the lyrical tension of the record being released in those last two songs. Maybe that’s part of the letting go too – freeing the songs to take on their own individual meanings in our fragmented world of streaming playlists and TikTok grabs.

“Let me let go” says the refrain on More Pressure, and it’s worthwhile life advice too for those of us like Kae who have been pushing back against society a long time and driving towards breaking point. But we should be grateful to have someone with Kae Tempest’s expressive wordsmith skills, critical eye to spot the failings and contradictions of the world around us, while also having the compassion to “see light in the windows as I pass by”.

Anyone who has been to a slam poetry open mic knows how easily the genre can slide into overly sincere or overly maudlin. A life well lived has to find a spot somewhere on the curve between, and to make great poetry requires the same.

- Andy Paine.