Kiiōtō (feat. Lou Rhodes of Lamb)

On the back of a string of sold-out shows in the UK and Europe, Rhodes and Heath will be joined on the PizzaExpress Live stage by virtuoso bassist Neil Charles. Neil has performed with jazz greats Mulatu Astatke, Sun Ra Arkestra, Byron Wallen, Jose James, Charles Mingus Big Band and Gabriels. The evening will see the trio switching between pared-back jazz arrangements of their new album Black Salt and debut As Dust We Rise, along with the driving, funk/soul-tinged performances for which they have become known. Kiiōtō’s second album, Black Salt, casts the net wide and deep in the stories it tells. Debut single Butterfly is a dark and brooding critique of a narcissist, its prowling bass, angular chords and bell motif creating a claustrophobic chill. In contrast, Zero Gravity zooms out into space, reflecting upon the transformational experience of orbiting Earth, its heartbeat intro giving way to brush drums and stacked vocal refrain. Little Axe tells of the challenges of raising young men amidst the threat of violence in urban life, set to soulful guitar and congas, while White Noise highlights the hold of social media on the modern mind, in staccato rhythm and abstract piano. Lost Map reflects on the results of DNA tests the duo took in search of a deeper understanding of their disparate heritages, against a backdrop of spacious piano and muted trumpet. Closing track Five Eight, conveys the aching loss of Heath’s mother, Rhodes’ vocal stripped bare over shimmering Wurlitzer. Throughout, the arrangements remain spare and bold, leaning into jazz and soul textures, with references as diverse as Carole King, Khruangbin and Alice Coltrane. The resulting album is impossible to define by genre, but is fused by the unique interplay of Heath’s melodic sensibilities and Rhodes inimitable voice. Written primarily in Kiiōtō’s home studio in North London, Black Salt features guest appearances from a melting pot of musicians, notably guitarist Hawi Gondwe (Amy Winehouse), double-bassist Andy Hamill (4 Hero, Carleen Anderson), drummer Mykey Wilson (Corrine Bailey Rae), and even some impromptu guitar by the one and only David Arnold. Photo Credit: Yagub Allahverdiyev "“The pair’s fierce storytelling powers these songs… Rhodes’ richly grained voice elegantly sets every scene...” " - MOJO.