Conch Records
UPCOMING: Electric Wire Hustle - Electric Wire Hustle 2LP (BBE)
Due out April 2012, to pre-order please contact us at info@conch.co.nz
Following the great success of the CD & digital release of Electric Wire Hustle's self entitled debut album and the great demand for vinyl, BBE now proudly presents the gatefold double LP edition of 'Electric Wire Hustle'.
Developing their own sound and twist on modern hip hop, psychedelic and soul, New Zealand's Electric Wire Hustle has forged a fresh sound that challenges genre boundaries and preconceptions. The music of EWH reaches forward while referencing key points of music's past. Thick drums and percussion layered with synth lines, hints of Fender Rhodes and nylon stringed guitars have your neck snapping while your ear cranes to the evocative vocals of Mara TK.
Since forming in 2007 the trio of - Mara TK, Taay Ninh and Myele Manzanza - have experienced an outstanding response to their music. Their strong live shows have seen them support the likes of UK soul singer Alice Russell, Japan's DJ Krush, Grooveman Spot and U.S. psychedelic soul outfit SA-RA Creative Partners.
EWH have also had the pleasure of collaborating with U.S. recording artists Georgia Anne Muldrow (Epistrophik Peach/SomeOthaShip/ Ubiquity Records), Atlanta based Stacy Epps, Mara's dad, NZ blues legend Billy TK and UK future Soul exponent Steve Spacek who all feature on this album.
EWH have garnered unprecedented radio support worldwide most notably from the likes of BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Benji B, New York’s Tyler Askew and LA's DJ Jamad. Their track 'They Don't Want' skyrocketed to the number 1 spot on the Hype Machine (www.hypemcom) music and blog aggregator and was also selected by BBC Radio1's Gilles Peterson as the first track to feature on his 'Brownswood Bubblers 5' Compilation.
Track List & Sound Clips:
01 | Waters | clip | ||||
02 | Gimme That Kinda | clip | ||||
03 | Experience | clip | ||||
04 | Again | clip | ||||
05 | Thank You Steve | clip | ||||
06 | Walk On feat. Stacey Epps | clip | ||||
07 | Buy Some Land Put A House On It | clip | ||||
08 | This World feat. Georgia Ann Muldrow | clip | ||||
09 | Longtime | clip | ||||
10 | Burn feat. Billy TK | clip | ||||
11 | Chaser | clip | ||||
12 | They Don't Want | clip | ||||
13 | Tom Boy | clip | ||||
14 | Flashlight | clip |
Wonderful Noise (JAPAN)
ONLY IN JAPAN BY ALAN PERROTT - From Canvas magazine in Weekend Herald, Dec 17 2011
Thanks to Peter McLennan of Dubdotdash for making it available online.
Every self-respecting music scene should have a home, a place people can point to and say ''that's where it all came from.Christchurch has given us the Dunedin Sound, south Auckland is all about Dawn Raid, Wellington can be blamed for BBQ reggae, Rotorua gushed showbands and Gore has both kinds country and western.
Now we can add Osaka. Because, somehow, this Japanese metropolis is now home to a group of our hippest musicians. It's a connection that has not only springboarded these musicians from bedrooms to the world stage, has spawned a distinct sound that is creating a stir among some of the most influential tastemakers.
And all because a nice young man remembered his manners. As a DJ, radio host and man-about-theWellington-music-scene, Andy Mitchell has always taken it upon himself to promote local artists. If a big-name D.J was in town Mitchell would burn a CD of his favourite artists and hand it over on the night. He has no idea if anyone ever played them - and isn't particularly bothered.
“I look at it more as a kind of koha I guess but obviously it'd be a bonus if they picked up on something and started playing it themselves. I remember hearing that Gilles Peterson had discovered Fat Freddy's Drop and all I could think was that it had been on a CD I'd given to him over two years earlier.''
Then, in 2005, Mitchell and his Japanese wife moved to Osaka. When a chance to visit his local - Especial Records - came up, it seemed natural to take a CD with him. "Well it was my first visit, and, you know, it's like going to a party at someone's house; you've got to take something''.
Working behind the counter was Kenji Sakajiri. After the pair bonded over a few shared favourites, Sakajiri played Mitchell's offering and became hooked on the Fat Freddy's Drop track, Hope. ''That was the trigger for me getting in touch with this 'pure' music from New Zealand," Sakajiri says from Japan. "I was really sure that those guys could add some fresh breeze to the boredom of the current music scene."
After organising the group's first Japanese vinyl release, Sakajiri was enthused enough to launch his own label, Wonderful Noise. Record culture is possibly stronger in Japan than anywhere else, so for a small label to be noticed it needs a new sound, and Sakajiri had this new music coming out of New Zealand in mind for his.
His timing was excellent, as at the same time a disparate bunch of musicians in Auckland and Wellington were busily experimenting with sounds. Most were in established groups and assumed there was no chance their solo tinkerings would ever make headway in a country dominated by rock pop and reggae.
Julien Dyne was among them. A former member of the Opensouls, Dyne was most recently seen onstage at the NZ Music Awards sitting behind the sunglasses and drum kit with Ladi6. That's his nightly day job, otherwise he's at home in Mt Roskill playing with his music toys.
As with his labelmates, the results are a bit electronic, a bit jazz, a bit soul, a bit funk and, vocally, a lot Antipodean. It remains a style in search of a pigeonhole, although someone has jokingly suggested retro-futurism.
Anyway, through Mitchell's evangelism, Sakajiri got to hear a few tracks from the 32-year-old's first album, and was impressed. "I believe my ears, '' he says. "I was sure Japanese listeners would love this kind of music. Of course, the idea of this music coming from New Zealand is important, but the distance thing doesn't matter to me so much as it being unique and cool, everybody has been surprised by it.
“Japanese people rarely have a chance to see or hear music from New Zealand,so they are quite curious and, thanks to the releases we have put out, I think my customers now recognise these artists and are surprised at the quality. It's a bit tricky to explain, but I think they see the soulful elements as being different from what is coming out of Europe, America and Japan."
''It's gone way beyond those firstimpressions now '' says Dyne. ''It's become a friendship, he's a mate, and he's enabled me to tour to Japan twice - I'm going back again in March - and build a fan base. That's something else, going to play in a place like that after handing made my music in my bedroom. Especially as it would never have happened here.
There's a bit of indifference to this style of music in New Zealand and Australia, so when you just know you don't quite fit you have to lock for other avenues. "And he [Sakajiri] puts his music out on vinyl which to me is like a validation really because anyone can finish a song and put it on Bandcamp. I'm not sure why, but putting something out on vinyl seems to show a real commitment to your art, I feel like it has more permanence, more validity."
Their relationship has led to Dyne acting in a recruitment role, and as a result Wonderful Noise now boasts 11 New Zealand acts who make up about three quarters of their total roster. They include notables such asWellington's Lord Echo (aka Mike Fabulous from the Black Seeds), undergrounddarlings Electric Wire Hustle and Pacific heights, as well as Auckland's Isaac Aesili, producer Frank Booker, and, if the rumours are accurate, @peace, a new combo featuring members of Homebrew and Nothing to Nobody.
And the music is now flowing both ways. Partly in an effort to meet his artists, Sakajiri and another highly rated Japanese producer, Grooveman Spot, made a rare appearance outside Japan to play here earlier this month. It was only Sakajiri's second performance outside of Asia.
All the same, it is faintly ridiculous that musicians from this country have to send their music 9000 km away and then wait for whatever hard copies are left once the Japanese market has a go at them. Even then, they are only available from one store, Ponsonby's Conch [Records].
Which may seem small potatoes. But such a view misses the credibility to be gained from a label with a good reputation. A lot of important ears are pricked to what Wonderful Noise offers, and Sakajiri's New Zealanders are being played in the biggest clubs in the world by the likes of Gilles Peterson, Benji B and DJ Day.
Such promotion has given artists like Electric Wire Hustle the opportunity to shift overseas with a trail blazed ahead. Which is exactly what Isaac Aesili is hoping for as well. Known mostly as the trumpeter for Opensouls, Tornadoes, Eru Dangerspiel, Solaa and Recloose live, he's now looking to tour the Asia and Pacific region under his own name.
“It's amazing how these opportunities have come about, but with Kenji's help all these musical artists have been brought together into a sort of micro-industry'' he says. "Which is kind of funny because we've got a Japanese guy making something really worthwhile with music that doesn't really have an audience here … but it feels like the idea of exporting our our underground music has actually become viable.''
But the 32-year-old says he has got more than a potential career from the experience. "It's a real connection. Kenji's a bro officially. You can hang out with him and call him bro or cuz, so it's much more than business, it's a cultural exchange that has longevity. It's so out of left-field that this could have happened - I mean he's gone so far out of his way to tap into this scene, but it is still amazing that it took someone from Japan to connect all these local musos. Wonderful Noise will always be the reference point for what was happening on the scene at this time."
UPCOMING RELEASES:
Christoph El Truento – EP01 12? (WONDERFUL NOISE) Julien Dyne – Glimpse CD/12? (WONDERFUL NOISE)UPCOMING: Mara TK - Taniwhunk 7"
The vinyl release of this has been delayed however it can be pre-ordered via info@conch.co.nz
This release features two tracks written and produced by NZ music icon Mara TK, at the Red Bull Studio in Auckland. Below is the digital release via BandcampThis Digital release features two tracks written and produced by NZ music icon Mara TK, at the Red Bull Studio in Auckland.
Mara attended the Red Bull Music Academy in 2007. Since then Mara TK has developed his sound as a member of Electric Wire Hustle, alongside other Music Academy alumni Taay Ninh and Myele Manzanza.
“Taniwhunk is a form of Maori music” A term coined in order to claim a small part of this vast musical universe for ourselves, lest we continually be labelled the borrower. The Maori of this generation exist in the most technologically advanced era yet. Thus we are afforded the potential to express our mana with ever-greater resources, definition and distribution.
The following prose (brose) may put that thought a little better:
Maori in Space
They used to call Canterbury, the food-baskets of Waitaha. Now the piggy bank is broken; it spills only a dehydrated muck; rations for this Maori in Space. My great grandfather was the last fisherman of our line to catch barracouta; out beyond the foreshore (for sure!)… Out in pure space.
His son was a Civil Engineer like Hone Tuwhare - boilermakers they called themselves - I call myself a Maori in Space…
Mara TK
VIDEO: Electric Wire Hustle's New York Visual Diary
In October 2010 Electric Wire Hustle traversed the pacific for their debut U.S. tour. This premiere tour saw them touch down and perform in several centres on the West and East coast and included a number of shows in New York City.
Electric Wire Hustle were selected to showcase at New York's notable College Music Journal (CMJ) New Music Marathon festival where, with thanks to Creative New Zealand, they performed at the NZ @ CMJ showcase performance at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan and The Haven Loft Party in Brooklyn.
Performing in the U.S. was a dream realised for the New Zealand band and taking the stage for the first time in New York City was a very special experience and one which saw them sited as a “CMJ Highlight” by credible music review website www.revivalist.okayplayer.com.
Good friend of the band, Vibol Moeung of Foxtree Studio in Wellington, recognised the opportunity in this occasion and took it upon himself to capture the band's first experiences and performances in the city which he masterfully cut together to create this beautiful video vignette.
Electric Wire Hustle_NYC from Foxtree Studio on Vimeo.
“Performing in the U.S. and particularly in New York was a long term dream come true for all of us.” says manager Hayley. “ Vibol has an incredible eye and has beautifully captured these memorable experiences which we are now able to share with everyone.”
"I had been to New York a few years earlier and like most - immediately fell in love with the city. When I heard that my good friends Electric Wire Hustle where planning a trip there I jumped at the chance to revisit the great city and booked my tickets within minutes. NYC has such a rich environment for a film maker to explore, and it was the perfect back drop to film EWH. I was really excited to be able to film EWH's first performances in New York and not only did I film this visual diary but also a music video for their track 'Again' which will be released next month." - Vibol Moeung, Foxtree Studio
Now on the brink of their 3rd European tour and eagerly anticipating a followup U.S. tour later this year, the band are excited to get on the road again and are pleased to release their second European show date announcement which sees them add UK festivals Glastonbury & The Big Chill aswell as shows in Poland, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland & Sweden to their itinerary.
*Electric Wire Hustle European Tour (2nd date announcement):*
5 June – Coldpro Fest, Co Clare, Ireland
16 June – OTB Block Party 2011, Paris, France
17 June – The Red Bull Music Academy stage @ Sonar, Barcelona, Spain
23 June – The Pussy Parlure, Glastonbury, UK
24 June – Magic Bubble, Glastonbury, UK
26 June – Wow! Stage, Glastonbury, UK
10 July – The Garden Festival, Zadar, Croatia
15 July – The Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
16 July – Dour Festival, Belgium
17 July – Colours Of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
22 July – Boogie Brain Festival, Szczecin, Poland
31 July – Applesap Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
4 August – Stadtmusik Festival, Basel, Switzerland
5 August – The Big Chill, UK
6 August – Fasching Jazz Club, Stockholm, Sweden
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