(Credits: Far Out / Rocket Weijers)

THE SKINNY: Even if you haven’t heard of Hiatus Kaiyote, you’ve probably heard a Hiatus Kaiyote song. Their genre-blending sound has proven ripe for sampling, with moments from their catalogue appearing on records by Beyonce, Anderson Paak, and both halves of the biggest feud in rap right now, Kendrick Lamar and Drake. In fact, they’re probably your favourite rapper’s favourite band.

It’s perhaps Hiatus Kaiyote’s commitment to rejecting genre that has earned them the admiration of so many big names. They flit between styles with ease, pulling in anything and everything they can get their hands on, from funk to prog to soul. The best moments on Love Heart Cheat Code, their latest full-length offering, come amidst that genre experimentation.

For much of the album, Hiatus Kaiyote seem to stay in one place. They keep it safe with fairly straightforward psychedelia and neo-soul, their lyrics often lacking the emotional depth or humour to drive those soundscapes home. But when they delve into stranger realms, into playful odes to the longest cat in the world and, eventually, into scuzzier, grainier realms, they thrive.

The first half of Love Heart Cheat Code is largely made up of songs that will get lost in your summer playlist, but the latter is a demonstration of Hiatus Kaiyote’s command over genre. It’s a shame that the record holds those fuzzier sounds back until its final moments, but they’re stunning nonetheless. It is in these glimpses that they prove themselves to be one of the era’s most important bands but evidently not yet the most refined or assertive.

For fans of: Twist endings and rainbow road.

A concluding comment from Dorothy: “If we walk far enough, we shall sometime come to some place.”

Love Heart Cheat Code track-by-track:

Label: Brainfeeder | Release date: June 28th | Producer: Mario Caldato Jr.

‘Dreamboat’: Grand and full-bodied, album opener ‘Dreamboat’ sounds like the crimson curtains opening on a West End show. Keys jump around, and cymbals crash quietly in the background, but they’re always polite and polished, perhaps to their detriment here. [2/5]

‘Telescope’: Groove replaces grandeur on ‘Telescope’, which allows singer Nai Palm’s voice to bounce around over layered beats. But the track quickly loses its grip as it devolves into a rendition of ‘My Girl’ by The Temptations. “I guess you could say, what could make me feel this way?” Palm asks, “Is it kush? Or outer space?” Cool quickly turns to cringe. [2.5/5]

‘Make Friends’: A subtle groove and sweet vocals combine on ‘Make Friends’, the kind of song you’d add to your summer playlist but then skip every time it came on shuffle. The lyrics let Hiatus Kaiyote down once more, lacking in both sincerity and sarcasm. [2/5]

‘BMO is Beautiful’: A tiny interlude which sees Palm harmonising with Adventure Time character BMO imbues Love Heart Cheat Code with a well-needed sense of play. [3/5]

‘Everything’s Beautiful’: Hiatus Kaiyote carry the declaration that “everything’s beautiful” into their next track, proving their hypothesis with muted twangs and gorgeous vocals. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s an enjoyable listen, particularly paired with sunlight. [3/5]

‘Dimitri’: The influence of musicals returns on ‘Dimitri’, but this time in Hiatus Kaiyote’s lyrics rather than their sound. “Click your heels three times,” Palm sings in reference to Dorothy’s famous line, as the instrumentation veers between sparkling and eerie. [3/5]

‘Longcat’: “He is the longest cat in the world,” Palm repeats on ‘Longcat’, “He is the longest cat in the meow.” And somehow, in spite of or because of its silliness, it’s one of the highest points on Love Heart Cheat Code. It’s twinkling, twangy, and endearingly twee. [3/5]

‘How To Meet Yourself’: Humour is quickly replaced with honesty on ‘How To Meet Yourself’, which contains some of the most authentic lyrics on the record. “It is not up to me how you choose your healing,” Palm sings while pianos bend around her. [2.5/5]

‘Love Heart Cheat Code’: ‘Love Heart Cheat Code’ adds something slightly new into the mix, with a grainy opening that works against the smoothness of Palm’s voice. It’s definitely one of the more interesting efforts, though it comes a little too late. [3/5]

‘Cinnamon Temple’: Hiatus Kaiyote amp up those harsher leanings on the penultimate track ‘Cinnamon Temple’, with fuzzy, driving guitars and gasping vocals desperate to release the pressure. “Fuck it up, buttercup,” Palm urges, showing us exactly how. [3/5]

‘White Rabbit’: In a strange choice, Hiatus Kaiyote cap off Love Heart Cheat Code with a cover of a Jefferson Airplane track. Intermittent scuzziness, twinkling keys, and references to Alice pull the best parts of the record together seamlessly, though it might not be the curtain close you expected. [3/5]