Kiven

From the dusty and traffic filled land of dreams, otherwise known as Los Angeles comes a trio of transplants that have a sound and aesthetic that is their own. After meeting at USC, Tyler Demorest, Matt Cohen, and Danny Schnair came together to create Kiven (pronounced Kee-vahn), a band that doesn’t really pertain to one particular genre.  With ethereal and clean vocals, Tyler Demorest’s voice takes the listener on a spiritual journey and add to that Danny Schnair’s hypnotic guitar riffs and Matt Cohen’s bass, the listening experience becomes something surreal and truly beautiful. Elements of MuteMath, Radiohead, and a kind of fortified Bon Iver come to mind, as their different sounds blend together to create something unique and intriguing. With the release of their album “1840” Kiven is a band that can truly hold their own- they defy all categories and labels and have created something that cannot be put into any one kind of genre, something that really separates them from other bands. Kiven recently performed as an opener to Junipero at the Soho, and was a rare treat, and totally unexpected. Numbers like “Hope and Smoke” and “Release” are full of powerful vocals, and heavy machinery, while songs like “Blur” and “Forward” show a more sensitive side that is refreshing, as Tyler also adds piano to some of the songs, giving them a kind of edgy yet delicate feel, an intricate and hard balance to achieve. It is this marriage of different sounds and different approaches that gives Kiven its individual flavor- they defy the rules by tapping into every kind of sound, yet abiding by none. The energy they have as performers is also something really special to see- its as if each performer is having a spiritual and emotional experience with the music, and they emote that to their audience- Danny and Matt’s harmonies add something really profound to their sound as well, as its where the rough meets the pretty, and born are memorable melodies and soulful harmonies that stay with you long after the song is over. Kiven’s music is everything you want in a band; their sound is pleasing yet tough, and their lyrics are introspective. Songs like Blur greet you with rich chords and then disintegrate into a harmoniously set of distorted riffs as Tyler’s vocals float over the band, with Danny and Matt coming in periodically creating surreal moments in their music. For a relatively new band, Kiven has already started to find their footing, bringing something new and interesting to the table. Their energy and diversity of songs demand your attention, and before you know it, you’re captivated, enthralled, and emotionally pulled toward that intangible force that only good music can get you close to. After their concert at Soho, I was able to talk with them a little bit and found them all to be genuine, witty, humble, and all about the music- Kiven is a tremendous force of talent and I highly recommend a listen, it’s an experience of its own. Kiven is recently on tour and just performed at SXSW- it’s a band to look out for; who knows what else these artistic geniuses will come up with next.

I highly recommend “Blur” and “Forward” on their album “1840” and be sure to check out their video “Release” on YouTube

From the left: Matt Cohen, Tyler Demorest, and Danny Schnair of Kiven