Hiatus Kaiyote Displays Their Musical Arsenal At Double Door
By Jessica Mlinaric in Arts & Entertainment on May 13, 2015 6:25PM
Photo by Jessica Mlinaric
Hiatus Kaiyote’s sound has been labeled as “future soul” and “jazz fusion. The band has called it “multi-dimensional, polyrhythmic gangster shit.” To keep things simple, I’ll borrow a track title from their newly released sophomore album, Choose Your Weapon, and describe it as “Shaolin Monk Motherfunk.”
The Australian quartet brought their genre-defying groove back to Double Door Monday night, returning to the Chicago venue they first played in 2013. The sold out show was an exercise in radiant maximalism.
Vocalist and guitarist Nai Palm overcame a shaky start due to poorly mixed vocals to captivate the intimate setting with her soulful growl. While the enigmatic front woman’s ethereal melodies took flight, the other members of Hiatus Kaiyote grounded the sound in elemental rhythm. As Nai Palm sang “So drop into this,” on the aforementioned “Shaolin Monk Motherfunk,” one felt the tug of Paul Bender’s basslines so deep that you could fall between them. Simon Mavin’s jazzy breakdown on keys during “The World It Softly Lulls” was a standout, while Perrin Moss provided the foundational beats that had the audience alternating between sexy swaying and jumping up and down.
Photo by Jessica Mlinaric
It became difficult to differentiate between songs, as one track undulated into the next in a set that felt more like a living organism than a series of distinctive pieces. Moments of motoric morphed into hip-hop beats, synths & scat reared their head among Latin vibes and academic jazz and funky neo-soul were the order of the day. The audience sang along to crowd pleasers like Grammy nominated “Nakamarra” from Haitus Kaiyote’s 2013 debut album Tawk Tomahawk as well as instant classics like “Breathing Underwater” and “By Fire” off of Choose Your Weapon, released this month.
Haitus Kaiyote’s virtue lies in the organic delivery of its musical complexities. What feels like spontaneous sonic detour is clearly the result of meticulous and well-rehearsed arrangements. The effect is at once playful and soulful. It’s a visceral experience and one that can’t quite be processed completely.
In less capable hands I might prefer a more curated edit, but in the case of Hiatus Kaiyote I want to hear them keep piling on disparate influences and subverting them. More is more, and whatever musical territory Hiatus Kaiyote navigates next I’ll be following.