Hiatus Kaiyote’s third album, Mood Valiant, is the perfect project to soothe the soul as we round the bend on year 2 in a pandemic.

This Spring, Hiatus Kaiyote fans received some incredible news: the Aussie band were releasing their first album in 6 years. It’s been a busy time for the band, life (Nai Palm had a mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis) & a label change (hello Brainfeeder!) happened. And then, of course, we were all plunged into a real-life thriller film. The news of Mood Valiant was some of the best I’ve heard in 2021, and each single released was its own balm for my weary spirit. My vinyl arrived the weekend of the album’s release, and it’s been spinning practically daily since then.

Thematically, Mood Valiant, is beautifully human—tracks like ‘Rose Water’ and ‘Sparkle Tape Break Up’ speak to nuanced interpersonal relationships and the need for connection. While ‘Get Sun’ and ‘Red Room’ speak to the human need for joy, and the innate pleasure of contentment, respectively. And then there’s ‘All the Words We Don’t Say’ and ‘Chivalry Is Not Dead’ which are so vibrantly funky they’re practically fluorescent and breathe some abstract, loud expression to the project. ‘And We Go Gentle’ plays like a call-to-action, a reminder that we’re all in this together. On an album about the human experience, these songs were my standouts, the tracks that made me feel most alive, a much-needed gut punch as the not-so-merry-go-round known as covid continues to wreak havoc.

Some of my favorite genre-chameleons, Hiatus certainly didn’t shy away from variety on this project—with raucous drums and vocoder ad libs, the project is a rich infusion of a lot held together, as always, by incredible lead vocals from Nai Palm. Nai sings from her soul, and I adored the highs, the lows, the whispers, and the cracks we get to hear throughout the album. 

Of the album’s title, Nai Palm told The Guardian “‘Valiant’ is also such a beautiful word. It has a gorgeous righteousness to it and we want people to feel valiant and beautiful, regardless of what mood they’re in, when they experience the music.” In that, Hiatus was more than successful. ‘Red Room’ makes me cry. ‘Rose Water’ makes me dance. ‘Get Sun’ makes me grin so hard my cheeks hurt. Mood Valiant is deliciously and elementally human, it clicks in my spirit in a way so specific, it feels personal. It makes me feel alive, and that much more able to keep going.

Have you listened to Mood Valiant yet? What are your favorite tracks? What art is getting you through the pandemic? Check the links below for other media recommendations!

• 2026 Cinema Began with a Bust
• Windows and Mirrors: Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest (2025) vs. Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low (1963)
• Skip It, Screen It or Stream It • July 2025
• A Dazzling Dance with the Devil: The Spoiler-FULL Sinners Review 🌕
• So Nice, I Had to Do It Twice: A Sinners Spoiler-lite review! 🩸