Alain Zane Share New Single 'Kite'

Alain Zane, the Los Angeles duo consisting of singer, multi-instrumentalist Cat Colbert and producer/ multi-instrumentalist Ethan Browne, shared the new single "Kite" from their debut album Right Before Your Eyes, out on September 23 through Spinside Records. Pre-order the album and listen to "Kite" below.

Grimy Goods praised the track saying, "Combining multiple genre elements and instrumental techniques such as a boom bap drum beat and a rich, funk bass line, the imaginative fusing of genres gives "Kite" a certain edge, while still remaining smooth in its overall delivery."

"'Kites' are the slang term for messages that are sent in prison through non-conventional means," explains Browne behind the meaning of the song. "They are communications that are not for prying eyes; Confidential information between inmates and or someone in the outside world. The writer of this 'Kite' describes what got them into the situation and the trials and tribulations of life in the penitentiary. The title 'Kite' also represents a flight beyond the walls of incarceration; A mental escape from separation and confinement."

"The high pitched and constant string is reminiscent of 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' by Roy Ayers. Kevin McCormick drops a funky bass line, and the piece is tied together with a traditional 'Boom Bap' drum beat."

"Kite" follows the release of the duo's debut single "Wunuvakine," which Glide Magazine called a "standout track... a sultry R&B number that is sure to get listeners grooving. Firing off with smooth vocals and a cool, sensual beat, the song exudes confidence as the lyrics capture the feelings of falling in love. Considering this group is a duo, it is surprising to hear such a full rich sound."

Recorded, assembled, and in some cases dramatically reimagined by Browne, Right Before Your Eyes is sleek and groove-driven, mixing the old school R&B and funk of Roy Ayers and Grover Washington with the more modern flair of D'Angelo and Maxwell. The result is an adventurous hybrid of genres and eras that tips its cap to everything from Blackstreet and The Delfonics to Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as it reckons with pain and ecstasy, fear and commitment, isolation and communication.

The son of singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, Ethan spent his childhood surrounded by instruments and traveling on the road; Cat, meanwhile, was immersed in studio life from a young age as well thanks to his father, bass icon Charles Colbert (his hit with The American Breed, "Bend Me Shape Me," remains one of the most enduring songs of the '60s). Though the two embarked on drastically different journeys-Browne's obsession with crate digging led him to become a DJ and producer, while Colbert's captivating singing voice landed him an early deal with Quincy Jones's Qwest Record-both shared a similar passion for art and innovation.

The roots of the duo's collaboration stretch all the way back to the mid-'90s, when Browne headed into the studio with his father's band to capture a bank of raw instrumental music he could slice and dice into samples and loops for his production work. "When I came back to the sessions all those years later," Browne explains, "I knew that there were some real gems in there, so I just started pulling everything apart and making my own beats and samples."

"I'd been hearing about Cat for a while, so he was one of my first calls I made when I started the album," says Browne. "I noticed immediately how gifted a writer he was in addition to how well his voice fit over the music, and it just became obvious to me that we should form a group and do the whole record together."

Combining both of their middle names yielded the Alain Zane moniker, and just like that, the band was born. Browne and Colbert shared writing duties in their sessions, inspiring one another with fresh ideas and filling in the gaps in each other's verses and choruses. While many of their tracks began life with samples and loops from those '90s sessions, the pair soon began writing together from scratch, as well, recording their own instrumentals with a similar analog feel that swirled together elements of vintage rock, soul, R&B, and hip-hop.

Watch the new lyric video here:

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