BLANK INSTRUMENT Discovers Freedom In Not Knowing On Final Single ‘Know Nothing’ Ahead of Debut Album Release
Blank Instrument, the musical project of Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter Kim Franklin, announces her new single, ‘Know Nothing’, set for release Friday, September 25. This track marks the third single from her forthcoming debut album, ‘Jumping at Ghosts’, which is out in just a month’s time on Friday, October 23.
As the third single from ‘Jumping at Ghosts’, ‘Know Nothing’ continues Blank Instrument’s deeply personal songwriting journey while shifting the focus more directly onto Franklin herself. Warm Hammond organ, acoustic guitar and subtle vocal harmonies create a reflective country-folk atmosphere, while lively drums add a brighter, more buoyant edge.
Where earlier singles ‘Brand New’ and ‘Green and Blue’ were shaped in part by the memory of her late friend Julie, whose generosity continued after her passing and helped fund the project, ‘Know Nothing’ turns inward, exploring Franklin’s relationship with intuition, perfectionism and decision-making.
Inspired by her tendency to search for the “right” choice, the track reflects a shift in mindset as she learns to accept uncertainty and embrace the idea that there can be several workable paths rather than one perfect answer. Franklin states:
“Some decisions aren’t simple or easy. I’ve struggled with the idea of making the ‘right’ decision. This is, I’ve realised recently, because I’m a perfectionist. While it’s often seen as a positive trait and the perfect job interview answer, living with it can be difficult. There is no amount of information that can make a decision easier, when you’re looking for a level of certainty that’s impossible to find.”
That shift in perspective also shaped the recording process. While recording ‘Know Nothing’, Franklin and Elliot Smith, who contributed drums and percussion to the track, invited Lee Jones to experiment with a glockenspiel despite having never played one before. After a short period of experimentation, Jones developed a bright hook that became part of the final track. Franklin notes that, had she been more concerned with finding the “right” sound, the part may never have made it onto the recording.
Ultimately, ‘Know Nothing’ moves away from the pursuit of a perfect answer, instead embracing uncertainty and the possibility of multiple paths. The song’s recurring hook captures this shift in perspective, reflecting on the limits of certainty and what it means to keep learning without having everything figured out.
‘Know Nothing’ arrives on Friday, September 25, as the third single from Blank Instrument’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Jumping at Ghosts’, due Friday, October 23.