Royce Doherty is the singer, songwriter, composer and programmer behind Kiva. Some two years after his first release, Kiva gives us his self titled debut album.

The word Kiva is an American Indian term for their ceremonial chamber which is built beneath the surface of the earth. "The reason I picked it was because it was a really beautiful name, and it wasn't gender specific, which is really important for me. I think it's really important to surprise people and I didn't want people to have preconceptions. Also the American Indians are very peaceful. They have simple beliefs but they are the right ones. Far be it from me to be a cultural imperialist, but it was just the perfect name for me".

Most of Royce's youth was spent in Central Western Queensland, in an environment that didn't seem to stimulate him. He confesses to locking himself away in the studio and immersing himself in music. "Being in an isolated town I became a little introverted and concentrated on music instead" Royce confides. "So it was good that there was that outlet there for me".

Kiva's first release was track titled 'Into The Sun', followed by the single 'Eternity Born'.

His style has been described as "melodic, harmonic, with a pop sensibility that lies amidst atmospheric soundscapes, passing waves, where nothing is quite what it seems. Beats and rhythms are washed with a pallet of subtle and delicate nuances".

Kiva's self titled album is a culmination of endless hours in the studio and countless Pappa Guiseppi's pizzas. "It just all came together" tells Royce. "I'm not one of those people who can do a track and decide what it's going to sound like. I can't do that, I can't visualise music in my head. I'm more of a song writer who has to sit down with my stuff, find a good melodic sound and take it from there". Royce was responsible for writing most of the tracks on the album and he feels satisfied with the end result. "As an artist I'm happy with it. I'm surprised that I'm not sick of it after all this time. I've actually had a lot of really good feedback from it" he says. "I'm very critical and very down on myself, especially where my vocals are concerned. But it just so happens that my voice is the thing that's really gonna do it".

The only problem Royce finds with his chosen career, is lack of time. "I have really bad time management" he confesses. "When I'm at home writing music, it basically involves ambient and trancey sort of stuff, and what I don't like is realising that I've been sitting infront of a computer screen and listening to this one sequence for twenty minutes". Nevertheless, he admits that he couldn't imaging doing anything else. "I think I could be doing this for quite a while" he says. "We're also looking at doing live stuff and hopefully start doing national gigs".

On a final note, Royce agrees that DJs in Europe get paid a ridiculous amount of money for playing other records. "After all, they're not performing heart surgery or saving Princess Diana or anything" he exclaims. "I feel so sorry for the kids, I reckon that William's gonna be a wild one. He'll be the complete downfall of the Royal family".