His music has been sampled by Timaya and Tuface, his lyrics have popped up in songs by Olamide and Terry G, his songs have been covered by Falana and Somi in her spectacular The Lagos Music Salon.
There is no contemporary Nigerian musician who isn’t inspired by, or doesn’t eventually get compared to Fela. His music has endured three decades and the man has become a legend all over the world. Fela’s brand of afrobeats revolutionary but not forceful, enlightening but not preachy, and danceable but not brainless is still unrivalled till today. Some by his style, some by his unique sense of political activism, and most by his genre-defining music. Beautifully translated into a live setting, Nai Palm and her cohorts craft an unpredictable and captivating fusion of jazz, soul, funk and electronica, which is nothing short of sublime.Everyone, and we mean everyone, has been inspired by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. This may not seem like a huge feat considering the musical climate of present, but when it is carried out with such precision, coherence and technical prowess, it is truly something to behold. Hiatus Kaiyote are a truly original and exciting band who defy standard genre conventions with gusto. The time signature changes and bassline groove of final duo Shaolin Monk Motherfunk and By Fire increased the energy levels even further, and concluded the show on an absolute high note. The crowd were very much in favour of the track’s midway tempo shift a majority of punters getting their jig on. A phenomenal take on the track Jekyll utilised these overtones, in both Palm’s voice and her keys playing. Palm’s impeccable and nuanced vocal delivery is an absolute treat to absorb and they wouldn’t at all feel out of place on a smoky jazz recording. The band were sounding incredibly tight and the backing singers certainly added an extra oomph to the mix.
The trance inducing and skittish Laputa showed off deep, pulsating bass alongside sweeping electronic swirls over the crystal clear PA.
JEKYLL HIATUS KAIYOTE FULL
The vibes were good and the slow jams out in full force, the latter receiving a rather warm response from the audience. Fronted by the charismatic, Ibanez wielding Nai Palm, the band dived into rousing renditions of Breathing Underwater, and the Grammy nominated Nakamarra. Completely unexpected and wildly exhilarating.įollowing what felt like an eternity, main act Hiatus Kaiyote complete with a trio of backing singers, hit the Rosemount stage to wild applause and cheers alike. What began as a couple of grungy and almost shoegaze numbers which could have been plucked straight out of the 90’s, grew into an insane hybrid of math rock and prog. As their set progressed, it slowly evolved into an entirely different beast. Hailing from Melbourne, JAALA were next to hit the stage. The seven piece garnered a much deserved enthusiastic response from the audience, and it was visible the band were loving every moment. Front-man Cruz Patterson had great flow in his rhymes and the horn section were prone to busting out an impressive solo or two. Kicking off the evening’s festivities were Fremantle locals Koi Child with their uplifting brand of jazz and dub infused hip-hop. The Rosemount Hotel was not only buzzing, but also bursting at the seams with patrons eager to catch a glimpse of the live show which Hiatus Kaiyote have become renowned for. Hot off the heels of the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore LP Choose Your Weapon earlier this year and touring through the United States and Europe, genre mish-mash enthusiasts Hiatus Kaiyote were back on home soil to play a string of shows across the country.