Hiatus Kaiyote is a four piece Melbourne band with an innovative and transcendent sound that is unlike any other . Their debut EP, Tawk Tomahawk presents an eclectic mix of Jazz, Future Soul, Electronic, Hip-hop and Latin, making it impossible to simplify them to fall within one genre. The band emerged in mid 2011, with members Nai Palm, Paul Bender, Simon Mavin and Perrin Moss. Singer-song writer, Palm is the personification of eccentricity. Her soft, sultry and emotive voice found beneath facial piercings, tattoos and a shaved head. She is enigmatic, her image and voice appearing to contradict one another. Like her music, she is a multi-coloured melting pot, which is exactly what makes Hiatus such a refreshing band.
Haitus Kaiyote’s participation in the genre of Jazz is validated through Paul Bender, the bass guitarist and a graduate of Miami University’s prestigious Jazz program. Bender’s speciality in Jazz complements Palm’s soulful voice. Keyboardist, Simon Mavin is an experienced musician in the Latin, Jazz and Soul scenes of Melbourne and is also currently playing with Funk band The Bamboos. Drummer, Perrin Moss is also an established producer and DJ. The individual and diverse skills of all four members are vital to the band’s versatility. Each track off Tawk Tomahawk represents symbiosis, as each member of the band is integral to the interplay of a range of musical genres.
In June and July last year, Tawk Tomahawk peaked in the top 10 played albums on KCRW. Since then they have played at various festivals around Australia, including Meredith and Peats Ridge Festival. Early this year they will be performing at the Perth International Arts Festival, the St Kilda Festival and SXSW, a music conference in Austen, USA.
