The Kiss and the Abyss
| The Kiss and the Abyss | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 14 August 2026 | |||
| Length | 48:21 | |||
| Labels |
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| Producer | Tom Iansek | |||
| Kate Miller-Heidke chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Kiss and the Abyss | ||||
The Kiss and the Abyss is the sixth studio album by the Australian singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke. The album was announced in June 2026 and released on 14 August 2026.[1]
Upon release, Miller-Heidke told The Music, "The main guiding principle for these songs was gothic folk. I grew up loving folk music, obviously, and that's how I became a songwriter. My early stuff is all pretty folky, but I think what I love about the gothic element is that it allows me to make folk music theatrical, more experimental and expansive – even a little weirder than traditional folk music, too."[4]
Reception
HiFi Way described the album saying "Across eleven songs, The Kiss and the Abyss navigates beauty and darkness in equal measure, drawing on gothic folk traditions while remaining unmistakably Kate Miller-Heidke: fearless, emotionally raw and impossible to pin down."[5]
Brooke Gibbs from Future Music Mag said "The Kiss and the Abyss is strange, beautiful, theatrical, vulnerable and occasionally delightfully dark — but more than anything, it feels free."[3]
Hayley from Hear 2 Zen said "the partnership between Kate and Keir has shown time and time again to be something pretty special. Their love for storytelling and sharing music is evident throughout this album" calling it "..so real. So deep and truly beautiful."[6]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall.[7]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hidden Things" | 5:51 |
| 2. | "Butterflies" | 3:56 |
| 3. | "Isabella Don't" | 2:55 |
| 4. | "Love Sweet Love" | 3:16 |
| 5. | "Little Ants" | 4:02 |
| 6. | "Holiday" | 3:51 |
| 7. | "A Certain Panic" | 4:31 |
| 8. | "Canterbury Stone" | 5:26 |
| 9. | "The Muscle" | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Elephant" | 5:16 |
| 11. | "Overflow" | 5:20 |
| Total length: | 48:21 | |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from Tidal.[7]
- Kate Miller-Heidke – vocals (all tracks), background vocals (1)
- Tom Iansek – production, engineering, mixing (all tracks); guitar, percussion (track 1); keyboards (2, 3, 5–8, 10, 11), bass (2, 3, 7, 10), background vocals (7, 8, 11), acoustic guitar (7, 11)
- Alex Killpatrick – engineering
- Steve Fallone – mastering
- Lloyd Haines – drums (1–3, 6, 7, 9, 10)
- Keir Nuttall – guitar (1, 2, 5, 6, 8 9), background vocals (1, 6, 8), sound effects (5, 6), electric guitar (7)
- Isaac Hayward – piano (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11); Hammond organ, pump organ (1); organ (4, 8), bass (8), synthesizer (9, 11)
- Georgia Mooney – background vocals (1, 3, 6–9)
- Alexandra Partridge – cello (4, 5, 11)
- Andy Crothers – viola (4, 5, 11)
- Ioana Tache – violin (4, 5, 11)
- Madeleine Jevons – violin (4, 5, 11)
- Aaron Dobos – engineering (4, 5, 11)
- Isaac Gunno – fretless bass guitar (6, 8)
- Amber Scates – background vocals (11)
- Jaymee Lancaster – background vocals (11)
- Nethra Raman – background vocals (11)
- Nicholas Walsh – background vocals (11)
- Samira Aly – cello (11)
Charts
| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[8] | 11 |
References
- 1 2 "Kate Miller-Heidke Announces New Album The Kiss and The Abyss & Intimate Headline Shows". The Music (magazine). 12 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "A Certain Panic (Single) by Kate Miller-Heidke". Prostudio Masters. 17 July 2026. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Kate Miller-Heidke Finds Beauty in the Unknown". future mag music. 14 August 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ "I'm Connected To Something Much Bigger Than Myself': Inside Kate Miller-Heidke's Dark, Funny, Beautiful & Surprising New Album". The Music. 13 August 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ "Kate Miller-Heidke Announces New Album The Kiss and The Abyss". HiFi Way. 13 June 2026. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "Album Review: Kate Miller-Heidke The Kiss And The Abyss". Hear 2 Zen. 14 August 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- 1 2 "The Kiss And The Abyss / Kate Miller-Heidke / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
- ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 24 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.