We always feel like we’re floating in the stratosphere when we listen to Australian soul outfit Hiatus Kaiyote. Now that we’re getting closer to the release of their upcoming album Love Heart Cheat Code, they’ve kept us floating on with singles “Everything’s Beautiful” and “Make Friends.” The quartet takes us even further out with the release of the latest single from the set, the spacy “Telescope.”
“Telescope” perfectly pairs singer Nai Palm’s poetic lyrics with jazzy soul that borrows elements from across genres to take us into deep space. It starts with sounds similar to whistling birds, almost cacophonous synth and a sound that is best described as what a landing UFO would probably sound like. Things mellow once the verses kick in, though, with harp and Nai’s voice melding together atop an ever-changing bass and a military-precise drum cadence.
The lyrics invite us to close our eyes as we take a tour of space itself. “A place behind the light of twin galaxies / Einstein ring / These are the things that the heavens see,” Nai Palm sings. “A star with no light of mention / Suddenly / Overshadows our sun / These are the things that the heavens see.” As she ponders whether it’s the kush or an out-of-body experience (while smartly evoking The Temptations and Sun Ra), we drift in the orbit of her and the band as the music takes us to places we’ve never seen.
It looks like Love Heart Cheat Code, like every album Hiatus Kaiyote ever released, will be stacked with quality tracks. We’ll find out for sure when it drops on Friday, June 28th. Until then, take a listen to “Telescope” right here. And then, because we like you, visit the HK crew at LHCC Mart for a 46-second visualizer for the song below.
