Hiatus Kaiyote
Hiatus Kaiyote broke internationally in 2012 with their first LP, Tawk Tomahawk, which was praised by simpatico musical traveler’s from Erykah Badu to Questlove to Prince, and embraced by DJs like the BBC’s Gilles Peterson, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Anthony Valadez (KCRW/Morning Becomes Eclectic).
Their first R&B Grammy nomination, for their song ‘Nakamarra’, was followed by a second for ‘Breathing Underwater’, from their sophomore album, 2015’s Choose Your Weapon. Still, their music defied categorisation. Some called it ‘neo-soul’, others ‘future soul’, the band calls it, simply, wondercore. Their music found fans in hip-hop, sampled on songs by The Carters (Beyonce & Jay-Z), Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Chance The Rapper, and Drake—with whom Nai Palm collaborated on his Scorpion album; and in jazz, when Robert Glasper invited the band to appear on his album of Miles Davis remakes, Everything’s Beautiful. Their records and live shows won them raves in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and in the New York Times, where Jon Pareles wrote that ‘Hiatus Kaiyote’s music stretches and bends every parameter’.
In 2021 Hiatus Kaiyote returned with their first new album in over five years, Mood Valiant, on Brainfeeder Records/Ninja Tune, which took them back on the road post covid pandemic, in an international tour across three continents including performances with a full orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, Fuji Rock Festival, and a headline show to nearly 5000 fans at O2 Brixton Academy.
On Monday 23 October, multiple GRAMMY-nominated genre-defying future-soul outfit Hiatus Kaiyote, expand into new sonic territory with the announcement of their biggest show to date. On Friday 23rd February, the Melbourne seven piece will unleash their head-spinning odyssey of progressive soul on Hamer Hall in Naarm/Melbourne, presented by Niche Productions. For one night only, Hiatus Kaiyote will be joined by the power of The Dreamboat Orchestra, with orchestral arrangements by Miguel Atwood Fergsuon, the Brainfeeder composer who wrote the cult-classic J Dilla score ‘Suite For Ma Dukes’, and the arrangements of Brazilian legend Arthur Verocai. This not to be repeated event will showcase the bands repertoire across their three critically acclaimed albums and feature new as yet unreleased songs.
Speaking on the announcement of their upcoming Hamer Hall show, Hiatus Kaiyote share; ‘After orchestra shows at Hollywood Bowl and Sydney Opera House we’re thrilled to bring them to our hometown. It will be a dream to perform these stunning arrangements in the Hamer Hall, we can’t wait to share this experience with you.’
Naarm/Melbourne-based, worldwide-beloved Hiatus Kaiyote is made up of Naomi ‘Nai Palm’ Saalfield (guitar, vocals), Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keys), and Perrin Moss (drums).