Kagu is the solo project of Sean Heathcliff, formerly of Snakadaktal fame. Whilst Snakadaktal disbanded in March 2014, Heathcliff continued writing and recording under his new moniker, unveiling his first track Shadow of the Wind online late last year.
Sean Heathcliff’s solo venture Kagu finds him in a delicate state pondering life and nature on a worthy debut to succeed Snakadaktal.
Atmospheric and melancholic, Shadow of the Wind combines acoustic guitars, drum machine beats, and the soft delay of an electric guitar, where Heathcliff urges above the folk tinged electronica to “Keep my distance from the wind”. The track is not dissimilar from Sydney band Seekae’s early material like their The Sounds of Trees Falling on People album and it is the song that Heathcliff has chosen to head his debut self titled EP, out now via Liberation Music.
Shadow of the Wind hints towards feelings of isolation, or perhaps self-ostracism, prevalent within Kagu’s lyrical and musical style. Heathcliff has previously expressed his desire to keep his own identity somewhat hidden from the public with Kagu, in order to place greater emphasis on the musical content and the album artwork. The illustrations that have been used in partnership with Kagu’s work provided by Sydney based illustrator Fiona Fernandes suggest the influence of nature upon Kagu’s music. All of the songs on the EP emanate feelings of calmness and serenity; they provoke certain moods often achieved when one is experiencing something of great natural wonder.
Jacob is perhaps the standout track from the EP. Starting in a folky manner guided by guitar harmonics, Jacob’s eventual chorus and string arrangement is catchy and almost cinematic in nature. Heathcliff’s voice is distant, pleading “Jacob will you stay with me, Jacob will you come and go”. Solitude arises lyrically again, Heathcliff further asking “Silence will you stay with my/silence will you come and go”. Dare I say it, Heathcliff’s voice has tinges of Chris Martin in it, and Jacob isn’t altogether un-Coldplay in nature. This is by no means a bad thing, and proof of the sometimes ethereal feel that Kagu’s music has. Human, as the main single from the EP, is most indicative of the otherworldly nature of Kagu’s sound. It is quite upbeat, with a driving guitar line and synth reminiscent of the Temper Trap – and once again, an extremely upbeat and memorable chorus.
The only place that Kagu’s EP falls a little flat is on the third track, The Misunderstood Judgement of Stones. Positioned between Happy and Jacob, it seems a little mournful, directed by an acoustic guitar and fluctuating keyboard sound, Heathcliff wishing You should of helped me help myself/you could of helped me help myself. Nonetheless, the track reveals, to a certain extent, the introspective nature of the EP, and instils a sense of wonder in the listener, to hear more from, and learn more from Kagu.
Whether intentional or not, the mystique that now surrounds Kagu effectively compliments his musical style, and seemingly may have the opposite effect for his music. He most certainly will not remain unknown, where the anthemic qualities of ‘Human’ and ‘Jacob’ deserve, and will soon garner, a large following.
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