Some newish, some oldish
Yes King feat Mystro and LadyChann – Secret King
Tribe Called Quest – Mr. Muhammad
The Milk – Kimmi
Herma Puma feat Elemental – Beneath the Sea
Fatboy Slim – Because I Got it Like That (Ultimatum Mix)
Kora – Burning
Sunday 9 January 2011
Thursday 6 January 2011
Why I love New Zealand
Anyone know anything about New Zealand? Answers are probably gonna come in the form of Lord of the Rings, those dudes running round all in black, maybe even some extreme sports. But what I reckon most people don’t know about is a little thing called Aotearoa Roots, and this is why I love New Zealand.
Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand and Aotearoa Roots is the name for the sound emanating from this beautiful place. Its roots lie predominantly in Reggae and Dub but with so many varied styles from many different bands in the country it spans through many distinct genres including Drum n Bass, jazz, hip hop, soul, rock and techno. Now why is reggae so big in a country that most people view as Australia’s neighbour? Well the reason behind this is the huge Maori and Polynesian influence exerted over the entire country. The laid back swagger of the Polynesian islands is never far from any Aotearoa Roots gig.
Now it’s not just the music that I was so taken with during my short spell living in the country. It’s the Kiwi style and the love for their home grown thing. I was lucky enough to see arguably the country’s biggest Aotearoa Roots band, Fat Freddy’s Drop, a couple of times when I was there most notably at the Regent Theatre in Dunedin. Such a great venue was deserving of literally two of the best hours of my life musically. But what really got me was the difference in the crowd compared to many gigs at home. From young hoods down at the front, to French restaurant owners to middle aged rastas and jazz lovers. Literally anyone who had a love for music was there. The Kiwi people really embrace their own music rejecting more mainstream offerings, something which many of us in society could really learn very much from. If you’re ever in this area of the world ignore your Lonely Planet and head to Wellington, most of the bands come from here and vibe in the city is like nowhere else. Cool as fuck!
Now I’ve already mentioned Fat Freddy’s, something for those who know me are probably sick of hearing about, but these scene is by no means limited to that 7 piece Wellington band. Others that I can’t stop listening to on my iPod at the moment include Salmonella Dub (soulful, drums and bases), Kora (bring the funk), Katchafire (pure reggae) and the Black Seeds (funky ass and previous home of Bret from the Concords). I implore anyone with a love for music to download what they can and fully appreciate my love for the vibe of NZ. Special mention must also go to Taos and Jah Fire – great memories from Revolver – “Smoke Weed and Fly, It’s the only way to get by”.
Couple of tunes to get your juices flowing
Salmonella Dub – Push on Thru
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Roady
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