Clever Kiai, And Her Groovy Music

by Adam Garrie (oneloveformusic.com)

Combining the subtle sociological commentary of Kate Bush with the hip attitude of a Bond film, the music of Kiai (pronounced "key-eye") is the proverbial soundtrack to a would-be Quentin Tarantino film. Her music is sexy and sophisticated, intelligent and full of subtle humour, and above all, it screams coolness, but without sounding trendy or tired.

Each of Kiai’s songs explores different musical sounds, rhythms, timbres and lyrical concepts. The song “Electric” is a brilliantly poignant send-up on modern virtual relationships and all the digital ups and downs that follow. The music is an up-beat garage style rock that suits a daylight dance party just as comfortably as it would a late night cocktail soirée.

Where “Electric” is humorous and sardonic, the song "Guarded Heart" is a dark lament that will have you drawing the curtains, reaching for the candles, and whilst searching for a knife to put in a carefully proportioned voodoo doll. It’s a kind of introspective Eleanor Rigby for the 21st century, and is performed with a lusting, longing emotion that is both understated and sincere.

The song "Bipolar Disorder" is perhaps the best musical metaphor for a mental illness you’ll ever come across. Here Kiai’s Zappaesque sense of humour is in top gear and the results are quizzically brilliant.

In these three songs off her latest EP, we see that Kiai’s got a style that carries with it musical and lyrical substance. Her music makes you want to listen again and again for the subtle nuances in between the lines on each track.

As Kiai continues to write and record, the public ought to take note with open ear, as her, hip, intelligent, somewhat mad-cap, and always playfully provocative style looks to move to new and interesting places, to which the music world shall surely want to travel.


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Adam Garrie is author of Eroica Romantica: A Life Anthology in Verse, a collection of poetry, available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Adam writes for usaprogmusic.com and OneLoveForMusic.com.