Since founding Swedish synth-pop outfit Kite in 2008, singer Nicklas Stenemo and keyboardist Christian Hutchinson Berg’s brooding fusion of cinematic electronics and anthemic pop has steadily elevated over the years into a stirring spectacle of passion, atmosphere, and communion, as immortalized in their 2019 performance at the Royal Swedish Opera backed by a 16-piece orchestra.

 Although Stenemo and Berg grew up in small Swedish towns (Stenslanda and Tranås, respectively), Kite has carried them around the world, on extensive tours through dozens of countries. The elemental melody and emotion of Kite’s music resonates in every culture; their lyrics can be felt without being understood. This sense of potency extends to their recordings as well – Kite favor the EP format, having released six so far, in keeping with their “all killer, no filler” ethos.

 2022 found the duo returning to the United States for a bi-coastal string of shows, sharing bills with other dark synth pioneers such as Front 242 and Cold Cave. But September 2023 marks a grand homecoming for Kite, headlining the largest show of their career at one of the world’s most breathtaking and beloved outdoor venues: Dalhalla. An open-air theater built into a former limestone quarry in central Sweden, it presents a fitting throne for Kite’s ascendence to the highest echelons of global synth-pop.