kyü

Album Of The Week: kyü
kyü
Popfrenzy
****1/2

Alyx Dennison and Freya Berkhout played their first ever gig last year at the heats of a band competition that they swiftly went on to win. The quality of singles they’ve since released, coupled with the rapturous reception of every live show they’ve played, has paved the way for some fierce anticipation – but who could have predicted that this casual, friendly and young new project would turn out such an original, blissful and exhilarating debut?

I think what makes this album so effervescent, so refreshing, is that it comes from a set of influences very different to your standard indie fare. The local duo clearly draw from Animal Collective, Bjork, CocoRosie, Sigur Ros and other ethereal, crystalline music – but with one half classically trained and the other addicted to world music, the harmonies, rhythms and ideas in this LP have a unique and percussive tribal flavour, too. Adding to the mix is a playful curiosity for audio technology (and a hereditary one, too – Dennison’s parents are renowned foley artists and sound designers), which has driven kyü to lace some incredible electronic beats and samples through organic melodies and startling harmonies.

From ‘Sistar’, the first vocal track, it’s obvious that these ladies are vocally talented. Their lyrics paint delicate pictures, but the very sound of their voices is enough to make you shiver – showcased especially on the fragile and stripped-back ‘Cyathea Anintae’, all acoustic guitar and glittery glockenspiel. Dappled with occasional atmospheric moments, ‘Pixiphony’ and ‘Trains’ also stand out as key tracks, as well as the now (somewhat) famous ‘Sunny In Splodges’.

Produced with finesse, this inspired debut seamlessly weaves organic and electronic elements together like fabrics of the night sky; cosmic, uplifting and positively sparkling. - The Brag

Kyü are a force to be reckoned with. That much is clear from the single of their new album, ‘Pixiphony’: apparently not even a nasty cold can keep their savage harmonies from shining out. And that’s what makes the biggest impression tonight. They’ve gotten the synth/tribal-tom/guitar multi-tasking down to a fine art. Now their live shows are all about hitting that point where your splitting eardrums just surrender to the duelling vocal intervals in arrested awe. If the Dirty Projectors’ harmonies can fairly be called ‘lemony’, Kyü’s might be ‘lasery’. Who needs a light show?

“Kyü are great. Actually, they’re really great,” says Rob Barber of High Places. “You guys are really lucky to have them here.” - The Brag

"Sydney Morning Herald - Next Big Thing 2010"

They combine beautiful voices, luscious arrangements and intricate, unconventional melodies that evoke Kate Bush or Bjork - or something more elusive. - The Sydney Morning Herald

Kyü are chilling for reasons I still don’t fully understand – maybe it’s the sparseness and clarity of their sound which evokes some sort of arctic landscape, or maybe they are just so refreshing it feels like a splash of cold water in the face. Whatever the reason, I stood in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, beaming a gummy smile throughout the whole thing, and if the inarticulate but supportive profanity-dropping group behind me were an accurate litmus test, then I was not alone. - The Brag

The harmonies are astonishing – harsh and delicately beautiful at the same time, folding over and around each other’s voices like a sonic hall of mirrors. The young pair have a great sense for performance, without being showy. Try and keep track of who’s singing! Watch as they play glockenspiel, drums and synth at the same time! Witness them use their sternums as percussion! I felt as though they were communing with something I couldn’t see, and I blinked like a startled bunny when the set finished. Perhaps the most obvious comparison is if Bjork were two people instead of, well, however many people Bjork feels she is; I could also name-check Dirty Projectors, but comparisons just get boring. Go see them. - The Brag

Locals Kyu impressed with their angelic harmonies that sounded at times like an offshoot of the recent Bjork/Dirty Projectors collaboration. What made Kyu so appealing was the duo’s multi-tasking skills. While both singing layered intricate and intertwined vocal lines they also busied themselves with keyboards, xylophone and percussion, often all within the same song. A fit of giggles from Alyx Dennison broke the ice with the attentive audience and showed it isn’t all serious art, there is a great deal of fun amid the stately compositions. Apparently a debut album is out in a couple of weeks and from tonight’s set it promises to be an absorbing listen. - fasterlouder.com.au

Locals Kyu impressed with their angelic harmonies that sounded at times like an offshoot of the recent Bjork/Dirty Projectors collaboration. What made Kyu so appealing was the duo’s multi-tasking skills. While both singing layered intricate and intertwined vocal lines they also busied themselves with keyboards, xylophone and percussion, often all within the same song. A fit of giggles from Alyx Dennison broke the ice with the attentive audience and showed it isn’t all serious art, there is a great deal of fun amid the stately compositions. Apparently a debut album is out in a couple of weeks and from tonight’s set it promises to be an absorbing listen. - fasterlouder.com.au

The rather eerie Sydney two-piece Kyu opened the night with a set that will certainly stay in the audience’s memory for longer than its 30- minute duration, and not just for the violent sound cut out towards the end.

Their atmospheric sounds, characterised by tribal drumming, Enya-like Celtic chanting, synths and, believe it or not, xylophones. In unison, the two girls created a powerful, minimalist sound that belied their youthful appearance.One of the measures of any gig is how much chatter goes on in the background, particularly during a warm-up act (when it is usually rife) but Kyu had the audience transfixed. - fasterlouder.com.au