The Drive Home that Changed My Life

Hiatus Kaiyote: "Choose Your Weapon" (2015)

It was a late summer evening. I don’t recall the preceding event, but we were driving home in a large Zipcar as we were sans vehicle at the time. We were tuned into local indie radio station KEXP as we had no compatible dongles for our phones. A strange tune came on the radio as we were nearing home. I listened while my wife napped. 

My internal dialogue sounded something like this:

“Hmm. This is a lovely guitar riff, I wonder what it’s leading into… A funk kick drum? That’s unexpected… Ooh… those strings… omg these fantastic vocals, is this going to be a pop song? I generally don’t like pop, but dang… what is THIS?!?!”

I was smitten, completely enchanted by the swirling melodies and polyrhythms that made up The Lung by Hiatus Kaiyote. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I’m getting tingles at the back of my neck as I write these words. It was so different than my usual fare, and I was so captivated by what I heard, that I’ll never forget that drive home. 

Self described as “multi-dimensional polyrhythmic gangster shit”; Hiatus Kaiyote mixes a creamy blend of Neo Soul, R&B, funk, jazz, pop, and even a little hip-hop to round out their sound. The whole record lives in a sonic universe that isn’t entirely unfamiliar, but it includes a number of pleasant surprises. A chocolatey series of synth sweeps breaks into the descending melody of Laputa, a song about the surreal animations of Hayao Miyazaki. Shaolin Monk Motherfunk employs a particularly juicy slowdown after introducing its main theme, highlighting singer Nai Palm’s impressive vocal range in the process. Hiatus Kaiyote also excels at any tempo, whether in the gentle sway of Borderline with my Atoms, or in the driving breakbeat of Atari. 

What makes Choose Your Weapon truly special is the absolute mastery of theme and variation not often heard outside a symphony hall. No track demonstrates this better than Breathing Underwater. Any musical group worth their salt knows how to throw in fills and grace notes as individual members to keep things interesting, but here the ensemble embellishes as one. The lyrics to each vocal line Nai Palm lays down sets the rhythm for what the whole band will do. In unison they punctuate the lines of “Aorta, tattoo the artery with acute artistry”, then the music softens to clear the way for “I could call your demons aside, soak them in chamomile.”  In this way Hiatus Kaiyote is able to keep the listener fully aware and in tune with the melody, while still showing them new worlds in the parallel spaces. 

The Multi-Dimensional nature of this record can be a challenge for first-time listeners. Individual tracks can feel disjointed in its tempo and color changes, as can the whole album. The album cover can give the wrong impression as well. While the flame wielding baboon is awesome without a doubt, to me it doesn’t reflect what Hiatus Kaiyote actually sounds like. But the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. Choose Your Weapon is the kind of album that rewards you with repeat listens. You’ll start to notice new details and elements every time you hear it. The more you get to know this record, the more it will become your friend, and like a good friend, this album is honest with you without bringing you down. There’s a truthful optimism in Nai Palm’s lyrics and voice that help me look forward to the next sunrise.

There’s a feeling I get when I listen to this record that is easiest to notice while listening to The Lung. Imagine sitting on a bullet train at twilight, bolting through a Japanese city-suburb at 200+ MPH. You’re curled up in an extra large, bright yellow silk blanket as you lie down, watching trees and buildings fly by. You are enthralled by the speed, and comforted by the setting. You are equally excited and relaxed. That’s what listening to Choose Your Weapon is like. You feel like you could take a nap and start a party at the exact same time, but you don’t want to. You just want to grab a cocktail and watch the world go by.

Weirdly this Australian record makes me want to go back to Japan.

Listen long friends.

Q: What songs or albums in your life put you in multiple moods at once?

P.S. Tip for the sustainable music fan: If you like this record, or any album. Buy it! Even a digital purchase will help your favorite artist much more than streaming music will. (Spotify’s payouts to musicians is a joke.) Support musicians! After all, we can’t listen long if they don’t play long.