Their sound is a fusion of future beats, hip-hop and soul with subtler influences of Latin, dubstep and opera.
Since forming in mid 2011, Hiatus Kaiyote have already shared the bill with such acts as Stones Throw Record’s Taylor McFerrin, Warp legends Chris Clark and Harmonic 313 and sound genius Robin Fox, Brainfeeder’s Lapalux and oOoOO as well as playing bills at Woodford Folk Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival and headlined at stage at the final The Bohemian Masquerade Ball.
Hiatus Kaiyote's chief songwriter is Nai Palm, who pens intricate compositions, rich with colour and mystery. With her unique honey-velvet voice, she is supported by three of Melbourne's finest and most versatile musician/producers. Keyboardist Simon Mavin, who has graced the stage with such bands such as Australia’s premier soul outfit The Bamboos, rock jazz freakout crew Whitesploitation, reggae masters The Red Eyes and funk heavyweights The Firemen. Paul Bender on bass, laptop and guitar is a graduate of Miami Florida's indie, experimental and improvised music scenes, but with a passion for stank-funk basslines. Drummer Perrin Moss is a powerhouse of beats both jilted and slick and an experienced MC, producer, percussionist and turntabilist and is the former frontman of ten piece Blue Mountains hip-hop band Jumbledat, Perrin has collaborated with other crews such as Thundamentals.
In their short time as a band they have fused a unique sound held together by Nai Palm's smoke drenched vocals and innovative melodies, Simon Mavin’s hands on knowledge of synthesizers, keyboards, Latin and jazz structures, Perrin Moss's slippery drum beats and soul clap rhythms and Paul Benders waterfall thumbs of bass guitar and sample wizardry.
Their first residency, held on Tuesdays at The Evelyn Hotel in Fitzroy Melbourne was extended from 4 weeks to four months due to popular demand. They sold out The Northcote Social Club for their EP launch (April 5th 2012) and received strong turnouts at Black Bear Lodge in Brisbane and Goodgod Small Club in Sydney as part of their debut tour in aid of the release.
Nai Palm - vocals, guitar, keys
Perrin Moss - drums, percussion, electronics
Paul Bender - bass, electronics
Simon Mavin - keys, synths, electronics
http://hiatuskaiyote.com/
Get Sun
Hiatus Kaiyote Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Surface, will it suffice
But you keep your borders guarded
And the heights of which you own
Feed me rhinestones
Bowing into the void
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
Ghost
Hidden eggshell
No rebel yell
Comfort in vacant waters
And I awake
Purging all fear
A task that you wear
Dormant valiance it falls around
A way to get sun when your heart's not open, oh-oh-oh
A way to get sun when your heart's not open, oh
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
A way to get sun when your heart's not open, oh
Ooh, ooh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I wanna like what you do, yeah
I wanna like what you do, what you do, ooh
I wanna like what you do, yeah
I wanna like what you do, what you do, ooh
I wanna like what you do, yeah
I wanna like what you do, what you do, ooh
I wanna like what you do, yeah
I wanna like what you do, what you do, ooh
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
The lyrics to Hiatus Kaiyote's song "Get Sun" featuring Arthur Verocai evoke a sense of yearning for personal growth and a desire to break through one's own barriers. The first verse paints an image of a dry, barren surface that represents a person's emotional state. The borders that they guard may represent the walls they have built up around themselves to protect themselves from emotional harm. But despite this guardedness, the singer craves something more, something sparkly like rhinestones, and they bow into the void in a gesture of submission to this desire.
The chorus speaks directly to this desire for more. It offers a way to "get sun" even when one's heart is closed off. The sun symbolizes growth, warmth, and light, and this line suggests that even when we're not emotionally open, there may be a way to find fulfillment.
The second verse continues this theme, using the metaphor of a hidden eggshell to represent the idea that sometimes the things we need are right in front of us, but we don't see them because we're too guarded. The line "no rebel yell" suggests that the singer is not necessarily fighting against anything, but rather quietly searching for a way to find courage and break free from their own emotional constraints.
The repeated line "I wanna like what you do" seems to be directed at someone else, perhaps a model for the type of growth and change the singer is yearning for. This person represents an ideal that the singer hopes to emulate in some way.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the difficulties of personal growth and the struggles we face when we try to be truly vulnerable with ourselves and others. It acknowledges the barriers we put up, but also suggests that there may be a way to break through and find the growth we're looking for.
Line by Line Meaning
Surface, will it suffice
Will the superficial be enough?
The clay grows dry
The earth dries up
But you keep your borders guarded
You protect your boundaries
And the heights of which you own
And the possessions you have acquired
Feed me rhinestones
Give me something shiny but worthless
Bowing into the void
Surrendering to emptiness
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
A solution to find happiness when feeling closed off
Ghost
Unseen entity
Hidden eggshell
Secret fragility
No rebel yell
No cry for revolution
Comfort in vacant waters
Finding solace in emptiness
And I awake
And I become aware
Purging all fear
Releasing all anxiety
A task that you wear
A burden that you bear
Dormant valiance it falls around
Inactive courage surrounds you
I wanna like what you do, yeah
I want to appreciate your actions
A way to get sun when your heart's not open
A solution to find happiness when feeling closed off
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Naomi Grace Saalfield, Paul Anthony Bender, Perrin Moss, Simon George Mavin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jose Pablo Martinez-Rendon
Dear Hiatus Kaiyote,
I finally checked out Mood Valient during my fall break, and I must say this. First, you guys are insanely talented and Get Sun is my favorite song off the album so far (I finished Red Room, I’m almost to the end and I don’t want it to end), and it’s absolutely the horns that make it for me.
Secondly, the way I would describe your music to any potential newcomers is, “If Tim Burton-style whimsy met some real groovy music”.
You guys are awesome!
From,
Jose
P. S. If you guys ever compose for a musical, y’all should do an avant-garde piece and have a hand in designing costumes and sets. Just an idea haha
Tyjuan Gibson
Who else is waiting for the Tiny Desk? They are WAAAYYY too good not to have one!
[madd]
OH MY GOSH YES!!!!
Tyjuan Gibson
@modifiedcontent For sure! I’d love to see them behind the actual desk when the world is in a place to handle it, but them doing they’re own with all the homies (the 3 support vocalists whose names I don’t know but are crazy talented) would be super dope!
Léocadie
Yes yes yes yes
Hiatus Kaiyote
It’s coming!!! We promise!!!
Chanisha Wilson
Agreed!
joab
só quem sabe quem é arthur verocai sabe o quão valiosa é essa parceria! um presente divino pra alegrar nossa vida nessa pandemia.
Pedro zPlácido
Sim, meu amigo. Essa música é uma obra de arte.
Aly
I’ve been waiting for their next album to release since I was 14. I’m 20 now and starting my last year of college, can’t wait for this to be the soundtrack of my life. HELL YEA
Caleb M
dude i feel you, i've been listening to these dudes since i was like 12, i'm so hype for this album