Kindred Found Discuss Their Powerful New Album “Fractured Hearts”

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Hailing from the Isle of Wight, Kindred Found are quickly building a reputation for their distinctive blend of dirty blues and country rock. Combining soulful harmonica, stinging slide guitar, rich instrumentation, and what the band describe as a “sunshine and gravel” vocal dynamic, the six-piece outfit create music that feels both raw and emotionally resonant.

Their new album, Fractured Hearts, releasing on 28th April 2026, captures the emotion, isolation, and introspection that shaped its creation during the pandemic years. Recorded at Sidehouse Recordings on the Isle of Wight, the album balances intimate live energy with textured studio experimentation across tracks like “Bones,” “Drowning,” and “Gators Down in New Orleans.”

With an album launch party at Strings Bar and Venue alongside upcoming festival appearances, Kindred Found are ready to bring these deeply personal songs to audiences everywhere. We caught up with the band to discuss the story behind the release.

“Fractured Hearts” was born from songs written during the isolation of the pandemic. Looking back now, how much of your personal experiences and emotions ended up shaping the album?

Dan: I think, if we’re being really honest with ourselves, there’s a part of either me or Dave in each song presented on Fractured Hearts, at one time or another we’ve definitely experienced what has made the song and used our situations to create it.

The project began with Dan and Dave writing together after the first lockdown lift. Do you remember the moment you realised those early songs had the potential to become something much bigger?

Dan: I think it was a couple of songs into the partnership that we realised that if we put a band behind us, or certainly asked around for some help in that matter, that we could see it becoming a bigger thing.

You describe Kindred Found as a blend of dirty blues and country rock with a “sunshine and gravel” vocal dynamic. How did you develop that signature sound as a band?

Dave: Dan comes from a very Blues background, and I’m from a very Country one, so the initial versions of songs tend to meet in the middle. When we then take those songs to the band, that’s when the magic happens, adding in the grit, the sunshine, the dirt and a whole lot more.

Dan’s influences range from Derek and the Dominos to The Allman Brothers Band, while Dave leans more toward artists like Chris Stapleton and Elvis Presley. How did those different musical backgrounds complement each other during the songwriting process?

Dave: The weird thing about our songwriting is how often one of us comes up with something, either a hook, or a lyric, that already works with something the other is working on. Aside from that, we do just get each other, and neither of us are precious about taking input from the other.

The album was recorded at Sidehouse Recordings on the Isle of Wight, with most tracks captured in individual takes. Did that recording approach help preserve the rawness and emotion of the songs?

Dave: We think so, yeah, sometimes doing it individually like that gives each of us the chance to really focus and pull out our best performance. Huge props also have to go to our producer, Shaun Sales, who is basically the seventh member of the band. His ideas and encouragement were key to each and every track on the album.

“Someone That Isn’t You” was recorded entirely live. What made that track the right choice for a live recording, and how different did it feel compared to the rest of the sessions?

Dave: That was always a song that had worked so well acoustically that it seemed the logical choice for a live recording. And it came together really quickly on the day, which was cool. We love playing live together, so it was a really special experience.

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“Bones” was the first song written together and eventually became the title track of your debut EP. Why do you think that song has remained such an important part of Kindred Found’s identity and live performances?

Dan: There’s still such a raw presence to that song, Dave painted such a clear picture that first time he came round with the lyrics and started singing it to me. I think that’s still pretty prevalent in the version we play today, plus the structure of the song gives us a chance to stretch out towards the end, which is always fun!

On the other side of the spectrum, tracks like “Drowning” showcase more studio-crafted textures and experimentation. Was it important for “Fractured Hearts” to balance raw live energy with more layered production moments?

Dan: I don’t think it was necessarily the plan for more layered productions to arise. Although the majority of the songs had been written well before recording them, there were still parts we were figuring out. That riff that opens Drowning is completely new and originated in the studio, same can be said for the guitar part on Nashville and Addicted.

“Gators Down in New Orleans” brings a playful energy to the record and highlights the chemistry between Dave and Corrine. How did that track come together in the studio?

Dan: I originally wanted it to be more acoustic based, just using the resonator, but our producer, Shaun, gently persuaded me that more was required so we ended up taking it bigger, Mark redone his banjo and I went and put down several guitar parts to beef it up.

With the album launch at Strings Bar and Venue alongside upcoming festival appearances in Somerset and at the Three Rivers Festival, what are you most excited for as “Fractured Hearts” finally reaches listeners?

Dan: Now we can finally talk about it, I think the one we’re always most excited about is playing the Kashmir Cafe at the Isle of Wight Festival. Not to take anything away from any of the others, but there’s something about playing that stage that is particularly enticing.

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