The Melbourne band's third album Mood Valiant sounds like a healing experience, cleaning physical and emotional wounds. The album sounds gracious like a light airy breeze or a flowing river. Just hop in and let the music carry you.
Hailing all the way from Melbourne Australia, Hiatus Kaiyote have turned heads all the way to the moon and back. There's been a lot of love for this band and deservedly so. The group's lead singer Nai Palm has quite lush, distinctly transformative vocals that will transport you to another universe. The instrumentals themselves are quite adventurous and colorful, specifically on their new album Mood Valiant. They range from R&B to experimental jazz to moody psychedelic bliss. Palm's strong and flowing vocals instantly remind me of New Zealand's Kimbra. They both definitely have similar tendencies and inflections in their vocals and range. They totally blew me away when I first heard the singles from this record and are for sure the band's biggest selling point. I can't say I've heard anything from them in the past but I've been aware of the hype and buildup behind the group. I decided to give Mood Valiant a try because: why not and I feel like this type of vocal and instrumental style would be something I'd enjoy.
A few things to note before I dive into the record. Nai Palm recently had cancer and much of the recording process occurred during her recovery (she is now cancer-free which is fantastic news). Also the band recently signed to Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label which isn't a huge surprise to me with all the experimental blends of R&B, jazz, and hip hop in their music. To be fitting, Mood Valiant sounds like a healing experience, cleaning the physical and emotional wounds. "Please relieve me," Palm wishes on the album's greatest thematic connection on "Stone or Lavender," a ballad that remains hopeful in promising to get over hard times because one is aiming to do so. The album sounds gracious like a light airy breeze or a flowing river. Just hop in and let the music carry you. I enjoy and appreciate the album's flow and unique layers of instrumentation. They aren't afraid to get weird or get experimental which is a great sign. There are songs of cinematic strings coming right out of a 007 film or something especially on the album's lead single "Get Sun." This track is pretty incredible, whether you're talking about the gargantuan strings and horn sections, Palm's dimensional vocals, or complex arrangements (which features Brazilian composer Arthur Verocai). To me it's a track about opening yourself up to positivity despite being doubtful and pessimistic.
"Chivalry is Not Dead" is an odder moment with its glitchy electronics, weird vocal tones, and noisy sound. It's for sure a big highlight from the album and a favorite of mine. It sounds like if Tune-Yards and Solange collaborated and made a banger together. There are moments of smooth artful rhythms and tones like on "Rose Water" or "Red Room." Listening to Mood Valiant is a vibe for sure: it's smooth, rich with detail, and full of color. I enjoy the production and mixing, the vocals perfectly play out with these types of instrumentals really well. I can certainly see why the hype and acclaim is here. Many of the songs, specifically the more explosive ones or exploratory compositions, caught my attention more than the straightforward ones. Overall I found Mood Valiant to be very enjoyable and I wouldn't be surprised if the band goes deeper into these richly produced sounds and styles that remind me of an lounge jazz or R&B act on an acid trip. The highlights alone make the entire listen worth checking out, along with the textured instrumentation, production, and Nai Palm's exquisite singing abilities.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Get Sun," "Chivalry is Not Dead," "Rose Water," "Red Room"
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