Words by Thomas Rutherford It’s been six long years since Hiatus Kaiyote’s last album, the sprawling Choose Your Weapon. But, finally, the eclectic, genre-defying group is back with Mood Valiant , a focused and beautiful celebration of life. This is an album permeated by flowers and nature, showered in color and sunshine. Yet, it is also bravely willing to face the darker aspects of life, heartbreak, illness, self-doubt, though not without the fear and uncertainty that inherently comes with dealing with such powerful, daunting issues. It is this honesty, coupled with the incredibly layered musicianship and lead singer and guitar player Nai Palm’s breathy delivery, that gives the album its nuance and depth. The album begins with slow, cinematic strings rolling in like old friends. In the background, we hear birds and wind. You can almost feel the sunshine as, faintly, we can hear someone that sounds like a nature conservation guide of some sort pointing out different kinds of parrots...