For our next ‘In Conversation With..’ series, we caught up with Kirkcudbright based Kasama. Since forming in 2016, the band has enjoyed huge success including a nomination for the Performing Artist of the Year category of the Dumfries & Galloway Life awards in 2018, the release of their debut EP and, most recently, their new single ‘Deep Water’, which was accompanied by a music video shot by Ruari Barber-Fleming.

For those who know very little about you, please introduce us to Kasama.

Kasama? It means togetherness in Filipino apparently, I can’t remember who told me that though so you could fact check it. We have been doing this for over three years now and I think we can all say what a ride it has been so far! From starting it all off half canned in a pub in Kirkcudbright to playing a sold out King Tuts supporting Vida. It’s unreal. And we’re all excited now to get back on it after this thing has all blown over and show everyone what we’ve got in store for the next chapter of Kasama.

You are all very competent musicians, Please tell us about the first time you picked up your instrument?

I never really started singing until maybe six or seven years ago but I guess it turned out alright. Scott has never really played the bass at all until we started the band; the level he’s got to in such a short space of time is really impressive. And Tom’s drumming is top notch, his timekeeping is unreal. He’s been doing it for years. And Adam’s rhythm guitar is renowned all around the world and for good reason! And obviously Andrew had been playing guitar his whole life.

A very poignant time, but do you remember the moment you first discovered how cathartic making music could be individually, and within a band?

I remember the first time I ever really started writing my own songs and the real satisfaction it gave me. Just a couple of rough demos that I stuck on Soundcloud - I think I’ve still got the the lyrics written down somewhere. Thinking about it, those songs will probably still be on Soundcloud somewhere. Someone can go and get them hunted out for a good laugh. It’s brillaint what local musicians are doing to keep people entertained at times like these. Obviously people aren’t in the best of fettle at the moment and even just a 15 minute set on Facebook could be enough to make someone’s day! It’s important .

Going against mainstream genres and particular styles, what influences you on what you create?

It’s really hard to say where our influences come from when making music, away from those brackets that you always put yourselves in. We have been very spontaneous at times in the studio, especially where we get an idea and then stick it in. Only for it to be taken out ten minutes later because we all agree it sounds rubbish. But you always get a lift when one of those ideas takes your song to the next level. Basically, what I’m saying is, we have been influenced by everything and anything

There has been a line-up change since we last saw you at Dumfries Music Conference Live Sessions 2019, how have you dealt with that, considering it is notoriously difficult to wheedle out potential band members in the area?

Andrew has went on to pastures new! We wish him the best of luck with whatever he does next. With all we have done as a band, fundamentally we are a group of mates first. You’re right about it being difficult - we weren’t aware of that. We found out the hard way. But we’ve got one or two leads and we’ve been in contact with someone. So fingers crossed if everything goes to plan. You will be finding out who the new guitarist is soon enough.

COVID-19 has brought our beloved music industry to its knees, how have you been making use of quarantine, creatively, and how do you make that work at a distance?

Thankfully in this day and age, it’s so easy to share ideas with apps like WhatsApp and Dropbox. You’re only two clicks of a button away from sending a text. So we can be so thankful that it’s so easy to do that nowadays, even though it’s a horrible thing sometimes. All we do is send each other bits and bobs that we’ve come up with and try and piece them together!

In February, Kasama played a storming set on The Big Burns Supper stage, oblivious to the devastating effects COVID-19 would have a couple of months later. Did you have a lively gig agenda for 2020? And if so, how has that affected you as a band?

We really enjoyed playing that set - it was a brilliant crowd that night! Thankfully there wasn’t much affected on that front for us, we had a clear schedule for a couple months. Taking the time to write new songs and have a wee rest. But I’m sure we can all agree on one thing - after this is all over we can go to the pub and have one or two too many. Oh - and get back out on the road and make music.

Undoubtedly, you are an exciting and refreshing sound within the local scene. From an artist’s perspective how do you view the Dumfries music scene and is there anything in particular that you feel would help build and prosper it?

I think the Dumfries music scene right now is the best it’s been! There are so many bands and singers of a high quality doing the rounds at the moment, it’s brilliant. You can go out to nearly any pub on nearly any day of the week and end up watching some live music. And there are a lot of people doing great things to help the local music scene - Dumfries Music Conference, Melissa Gunn at Small Town Sounds and Dumfries Community Radio. They’d all doing bits for the local scene.

We love discovering new music here at Dumfries Music Conference. Who have you been listening to lately?

I’ve been listening to loads of new stuff at the moment, but I have to say, Fontaines DC are my personal favourites right now. And Sports Team - they have a brilliant sound. Definitely go and check them out

Once we step out of these ‘strange days’, what can we expect from Kasama for the rest of 2020?

We can not wait to get back to normal and start practicing, gigging and recording. So you can expect new music to be out at some point this year. I just hope everyone stays safe in meantime and stays sensible as well! The more we do right now means we can get out of this sooner!

Listen to Kasama on Spotify here.

Follow Kasama here and here.

In Conversation With.. Kasama