In this part of the world (or maybe just in NZ), May is New Zealand Music Month. It might seem weird to some of you, I mean, there's not an "American Music Month" (is there?). But we here in Aotearoa are a small country, with a surprisingly thriving music industry.
We love our local music and with good reason: we have a long tradition of taking genres like reggae, hip hop, soul and rock and putting our own pacific spin on it that rules! This month, we've chosen to showcase some of it right here on Whitelabel.net. Read more for our featured releases.
Solephonic (Manuel Bundy)
The Don of DJing in NZ whether hip hop, house or otherwise, Manuel Bundy has won more DJ awards than any other and has been a source of inspiration and knowledge for the scene since it started. A fixture on the New Zealand dance music scene for nearly 20 years, Manuel (aka Manuel Matisi ) has toured the world as DJ of choice for artists such as Nathan Haines, Mark De Clive Lowe and OMC.
These two tracks off the EP are killer grooves. If you're lucky enough to have the Solephonic EP on vinyl (or digitally) then you'll know about the heat that is Danger Part 2 (featuring another lady on the Whitelabel.net roll, Ladi6).
In their New Zealand home, Shapeshifter have had strings of record breaking sell out tours and have been voted New Zealand’s Best Live Act. They created an unforgettable experience when they performed with leading Symphony orchestras selling out their shows months in advance. In Australia, Shapeshifter repeatedly sell out their tours and have headlined major festivals including Parklife and the Big Day Out. Their popularity has been replicated in the Northern Hemisphere with sold out performances in London’s Electric Ballroom, Cargo and Shepherd’s Bush Empire and throughout Europe. MTV UK has described their performance as “Polished, tight and non-stop, they pushed the boundaries to showcase a unique live dance music experience.”
Mark de Clive-Lowe (MdCL) is a NZ-Japanese musician producer based in the UK for the last decade and at the forefront of the global beats, jazz and soul community. He's a devastating live performer creating studio production on stage from scratch using drum machines, keyboards and effects - live remixes created on stage for each and every gig. As well as performances at clubs, festivals and parties worldwide, he's on over 200 releases for Masters At Work Records, Verve Records, Impulse Records and collaborating with as diverse a range of artists as Jody Watley, Omar, Bugz in the Attic, Dego (4Hero), percussionist Sammy Figueroa (Miles Davis), bass player Pino Palladino (D'Angelo/John Mayer), DJ Spinna, Leon Ware, Dame Shirley Bassey and plenty more, MdCL is one of the most innovative producers and live performers you'll find anywhere.
A 21st Century soul-hip hop-R&B infusion unlike anything else, The Politik is vocalist Bêmbè Sêguè and producer Mark de Clive-Lowe's joint project. Bêmbè Sêguè is the songwriter and singer behind undeground classics by Silhouette Brown, 4Hero, 2 Banks of Four, Sleepwalker and Bugz in the Attic; MdCL is the producer behind literally hundreds of releases involving the likes of Omar, Jody Watley, DJ Spinna, Masters At Work and more. Together they're possibly one of the heaviest pairings in recent memory.
P-Money is New Zealand’s finest Hip-Hop producer. He has released 2 phenomenal albums and produced numerous chart topping singles. Recipient of the 2005 New Zealand Music Award’s for Best Male Solo Artist, Best Hip-Hop Album (for ‘Magic City’) and 2004 Vodafone Music Award ‘Producer of the Year’ for his work on Scribe’s multi-platinum debut “The Crusader”, P-Money sets the standard by which all other Australasian Hip-Hop producers are judged. P-Money is also regarded as one of NZ’s best club DJ’s rocking parties all over NZ, Australia and the world. His skills behind the decks are serious, as proven by his 3rd place award at the prestigious Technics DMC World DJ Championships in 2001. His DJ career has seen him tour with major recording artists 50 Cent, Xzibit and The Roots and spin alongs
ide the world’s finest DJ’s including Roc Raida, The X-Ecutioners, DJ Craze, A-Trak and DJ Revolution. P-Money is also co-founder/owner of Auckland based independent record label Dirty Records, home to artists Scribe, Frontline and PNC. His role as creative director encompasses A&R, Marketing, Promotion and executive production. From DJ battles to production to record label director P-Money has firmly established himself as one of the most important figures in New Zealand music and at the forefront of Hip-Hop from the Southern Hemisphere.
Everything", the new single from P-Money, is a totally unexpected and greatly welcomed change of pace for NZ's most renowned Producer/DJ. Recent advances in DJ'ing technology have broadened the scope of P-Money's DJ sets which now include a healthy dose of 90's dance music, 80's pop and of course new and classic Hip-Hop... and these influences have certainly begun to make an impact on his latest productions.
Born and bred in London, Jason Eli was sucked into the music world after countless days watching his older cousins create sweet grooves in their funk & soul band. A severe addiction to buying records and playing keyboards ensued, and to pay for his habit Jason decided to start DJ'ing. After sending out a few cassette tapes to various clubs he got a call from Ministry of Sound. The club became his Saturday night residency for over four years through the mid 90's, and he dived deep into the world of U.S. flavoured House, playing alongside Masters at Work, Norman Jay, Todd Terry, DJ Harvey, Frankie Knuckles, Carl Craig and many others. He also delved into the worlds of funk, soul, hip Hop & Jazz. These days, Its nearly impossible to pin Jason's DJing down to one genre of music, but the three words that spring to mind are : soulful, groovy & uplifting.
Tiki (of the Ngati Maniapoto tribe of Aotearoa New Zealand) embarked on his solo artist career in January 2007 after eleven years playing to the world primarily as the captivating frontman for successful band Salmonella Dub.
Representing Aotearoa New Zealand, Tiki has long-cemented the following of a diverse cross-section of peoples from all corners of the globe. Doubling as an audio engineer for some of the country’s finest acts, Tiki has a solid reputation for boosting shows, musical works and recordings worldwide with his unique gift for taking music into an innovative new realm Releasing his debut album "Past Present Future" in November 2007, Tiki is showcasing his talent as a musician, producer, composer, audio engineer and entrepreneur through his company Tikidub Productions.
Tangaroa is the hard-hitting, groundbreaking new track from Tiki Taane, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most progressive and respected artists. Inspired by the raw energy and power of Tangaroa, God of the Sea, Taane delivers a haunting, genre-defying piece of art that confronts the past in order to pave the way for the future. Contrasting Taane’s trademark bass-heavy production with traditional Maori instrumentation, Tangaroa challenges its audience to consider the contradictions of contemporary society. It depicts the struggle between humans and their environment, the tensions of race and culture and the need to balance respect for the past with optimism for the future.
Since 1999 Sola Rosa’s Andrew Spraggon has been tantalising listeners with otherworldly aural experiences, honing his craft and taking Sola Rosa from a self-released one man project to fully-fledged live powerhouse along the way. He’s kept good company on the road and in the studio, Sola Rosa counting members of Dimmer, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Goldenhorse, Pluto and Sommerset amongst the ranks over the years, not to mention pilfering the best members of Che Fu, King Kapisi and Anika Moa’s bands and tapping the talents of internationally renowned artists like Nathan Haines and Spikey Tee. Add to the mix a succession of highly regarded releases the world over on a slew of stunning labels that includes household names Ministry of Sound, Guidance, Different Drummer, Stereo Deluxe, and Satellite K, and you’ll see why so many eager ears and heavy-lidded eyes are always fixed to fasten on what Sola Rosa does next.
It all started in the spring of 1997 when Detroiter Matthew Chicoine, aka Recloose, made contact with techno pioneer Carl Craig by way of a now legendary ‘demo on rye sandwich’. This story has been referenced to death, and we’d all prefer not to revisit the details. Instead, let’s focus on what it led to – the signing of Recloose to Craig's seminal Planet E label and the birth of an eclectic and vibrant musical career.
Recloose relocated to New Zealand in 2001 to plant new roots and explore fresh musical horizons. 2005 saw the release of Recloose's second LP, ‘Hiatus On The Horizon’ (Peacefrog/Loop), an album that features a host of New Zealand’s finest musicians and vocalists (and spawned the dancefloor stomper ‘Dust’ feat. guest vocalist Joe Dukie). Recloose’s 2008 international long player, ‘Perfect Timing’, features yet more stellar Kiwi talent (including Tyna Keelan, Rachel Fraser, Joe Dukie, Jonathan Crayford) and took out the prestigious Tui Award (aka NZ Music Award) for best Electronica/Dance album of 2008.
2009 is going to be a big one for Recloose and co. with a re-launch and full-length studio release from the Recloose Live Band (soon to be re-born as ‘Starblazers’), a ‘Recloose Classics’ release on Rush Hour records, and further frenzied floor rocking and globetrotting.
Ladi6 (Karoline Tamati) is New Zealand’s premier female vocalist MC. She is renowned for her energetic live performances, sublime soulful vocals and conscious lyrics. She is about to release her debut solo album, yet she has cemented herself as a key player in the New Zealand music scene.
Ladi6’s touring and collaborations have established her a significant following throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe. She has performed at all the key festivals in New Zealand including the Big Day Out, Rhythm and Vines, Splore and Parihaka to name a few. She has toured Australia extensively with Scribe and doing her own solo shows, performing at festivals such as the St Kilda Festival and supporting top international artists in Australia such as Ohmega Watts and Freddie Cruger. She has toured Europe with Fat Freddy’s Drop, and has had solo performances in Paris and Germany and throughout the UK.
Ladi6’s highly anticipated and long awaited debut solo album Time Is Not Much is produced by Mu from Fat Freddy’s Drop and Parks has just been released.
In this part of the world (or maybe just in NZ), May is New Zealand Music Month. It might seem weird to some of you, I mean, there's not an "American Music Month" (is there?). But we here in Aotearoa are a small country, with a surprisingly thriving music industry.
We love our local music and with good reason: we have a long tradition of taking genres like reggae, hip hop, soul and rock and putting our own pacific spin on it that rules! This month, we've chosen to showcase some of it right here on Whitelabel.net. Read more for our featured releases.
Solephonic (Manuel Bundy)
The Don of DJing in NZ whether hip hop, house or otherwise, Manuel Bundy has won more DJ awards than any other and has been a source of inspiration and knowledge for the scene since it started. A fixture on the New Zealand dance music scene for nearly 20 years, Manuel (aka Manuel Matisi ) has toured the world as DJ of choice for artists such as Nathan Haines, Mark De Clive Lowe and OMC.
These two tracks off the EP are killer grooves. If you're lucky enough to have the Solephonic EP on vinyl (or digitally) then you'll know about the heat that is Danger Part 2 (featuring another lady on the Whitelabel.net roll, Ladi6).
Download Solephonic - Manuel Bundy presents the Solephonic EP Sampler
Shapeshifter
In their New Zealand home, Shapeshifter have had strings of record breaking sell out tours and have been voted New Zealand’s Best Live Act. They created an unforgettable experience when they performed with leading Symphony orchestras selling out their shows months in advance. In Australia, Shapeshifter repeatedly sell out their tours and have headlined major festivals including Parklife and the Big Day Out.
Their popularity has been replicated in the Northern Hemisphere with sold out performances in London’s Electric Ballroom, Cargo and Shepherd’s Bush Empire and throughout Europe. MTV UK has described their performance as “Polished, tight and non-stop, they pushed the boundaries to showcase a unique live dance music experience.”
Downloads:
Shapeshifter - New Day Come (The Nextmen Remix)
Shapeshifter - Electric Dream (State of Mind Remix)
Shapeshifter - One
Shapeshifter - Long White Cloud (Nutone Remix)
Mark De Clive Lowe
Mark de Clive-Lowe (MdCL) is a NZ-Japanese musician producer based in the UK for the last decade and at the forefront of the global beats, jazz and soul community. He's a devastating live performer creating studio production on stage from scratch using drum machines, keyboards and effects - live remixes created on stage for each and every gig. As well as performances at clubs, festivals and parties worldwide, he's on over 200 releases for Masters At Work Records, Verve Records, Impulse Records and collaborating with as diverse a range of artists as Jody Watley, Omar, Bugz in the Attic, Dego (4Hero), percussionist Sammy Figueroa (Miles Davis), bass player Pino Palladino (D'Angelo/John Mayer), DJ Spinna, Leon Ware, Dame Shirley Bassey and plenty more, MdCL is one of the most innovative producers and live performers you'll find anywhere.
A 21st Century soul-hip hop-R&B infusion unlike anything else, The Politik is vocalist Bêmbè Sêguè and producer Mark de Clive-Lowe's joint project. Bêmbè Sêguè is the songwriter and singer behind undeground classics by Silhouette Brown, 4Hero, 2 Banks of Four, Sleepwalker and Bugz in the Attic; MdCL is the producer behind literally hundreds of releases involving the likes of Omar, Jody Watley, DJ Spinna, Masters At Work and more. Together they're possibly one of the heaviest pairings in recent memory.
Download The Politik - Moonlight
P-Money
P-Money is New Zealand’s finest Hip-Hop producer. He has released 2 phenomenal albums and produced numerous chart topping singles. Recipient of the 2005 New Zealand Music Award’s for Best Male Solo Artist, Best Hip-Hop Album (for ‘Magic City’) and 2004 Vodafone Music Award ‘Producer of the Year’ for his work on Scribe’s multi-platinum debut “The Crusader”, P-Money sets the standard by which all other Australasian Hip-Hop producers are judged.
P-Money is also regarded as one of NZ’s best club DJ’s rocking parties all over NZ, Australia and the world. His skills behind the decks are serious, as proven by his 3rd place award at the prestigious Technics DMC World DJ Championships in 2001. His DJ career has seen him tour with major recording artists 50 Cent, Xzibit and The Roots and spin alongs ide the world’s finest DJ’s including Roc Raida, The X-Ecutioners, DJ Craze, A-Trak and DJ Revolution.
P-Money is also co-founder/owner of Auckland based independent record label Dirty Records, home to artists Scribe, Frontline and PNC. His role as creative director encompasses A&R, Marketing, Promotion and executive production. From DJ battles to production to record label director P-Money has firmly established himself as one of the most important figures in New Zealand music and at the forefront of Hip-Hop from the Southern Hemisphere.
Everything", the new single from P-Money, is a totally unexpected and greatly welcomed change of pace for NZ's most renowned Producer/DJ. Recent advances in DJ'ing technology have broadened the scope of P-Money's DJ sets which now include a healthy dose of 90's dance music, 80's pop and of course new and classic Hip-Hop... and these influences have certainly begun to make an impact on his latest productions.
Download P-Money - Everything (featuring Vince Harder)
Jason Eli
Born and bred in London, Jason Eli was sucked into the music world after countless days watching his older cousins create sweet grooves in their funk & soul band.
A severe addiction to buying records and playing keyboards ensued, and to pay for his habit Jason decided to start DJ'ing. After sending out a few cassette tapes to various clubs he got a call from Ministry of Sound. The club became his Saturday night residency for over four years through the mid 90's, and he dived deep into the world of U.S. flavoured House, playing alongside Masters at Work, Norman Jay, Todd Terry, DJ Harvey, Frankie Knuckles, Carl Craig and many others. He also delved into the worlds of funk, soul, hip Hop & Jazz.
These days, Its nearly impossible to pin Jason's DJing down to one genre of music, but the three words that spring to mind are : soulful, groovy & uplifting.
Download Jason Eli - Jump Up (feat. Lindah E & MC Koder)
Tiki Taane
Tiki (of the Ngati Maniapoto tribe of Aotearoa New Zealand) embarked on his solo artist career in January 2007 after eleven years playing to the world primarily as the captivating frontman for successful band Salmonella Dub.
Representing Aotearoa New Zealand, Tiki has long-cemented the following of a diverse cross-section of peoples from all corners of the globe. Doubling as an audio engineer for some of the country’s finest acts, Tiki has a solid reputation for boosting shows, musical works and recordings worldwide with his unique gift for taking music into an innovative new realm Releasing his debut album "Past Present Future" in November 2007, Tiki is showcasing his talent as a musician, producer, composer, audio engineer and entrepreneur through his company Tikidub Productions.
Tangaroa is the hard-hitting, groundbreaking new track from Tiki Taane, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most progressive and respected artists. Inspired by the raw energy and power of Tangaroa, God of the Sea, Taane delivers a haunting, genre-defying piece of art that confronts the past in order to pave the way for the future. Contrasting Taane’s trademark bass-heavy production with traditional Maori instrumentation, Tangaroa challenges its audience to consider the contradictions of contemporary society. It depicts the struggle between humans and their environment, the tensions of race and culture and the need to balance respect for the past with optimism for the future.
Download Tiki Taane - Tangaroa - God of the Sea (EP)
Sola Rosa
Since 1999 Sola Rosa’s Andrew Spraggon has been tantalising listeners with otherworldly aural experiences, honing his craft and taking Sola Rosa from a self-released one man project to fully-fledged live powerhouse along the way. He’s kept good company on the road and in the studio, Sola Rosa counting members of Dimmer, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Goldenhorse, Pluto and Sommerset amongst the ranks over the years, not to mention pilfering the best members of Che Fu, King Kapisi and Anika Moa’s bands and tapping the talents of internationally renowned artists like Nathan Haines and Spikey Tee.
Add to the mix a succession of highly regarded releases the world over on a slew of stunning labels that includes household names Ministry of Sound, Guidance, Different Drummer, Stereo Deluxe, and Satellite K, and you’ll see why so many eager ears and heavy-lidded eyes are always fixed to fasten on what Sola Rosa does next.
Download Sola Rosa - Del Ray
Recloose
It all started in the spring of 1997 when Detroiter Matthew Chicoine, aka Recloose, made contact with techno pioneer Carl Craig by way of a now legendary ‘demo on rye sandwich’. This story has been referenced to death, and we’d all prefer not to revisit the details. Instead, let’s focus on what it led to – the signing of Recloose to Craig's seminal Planet E label and the birth of an eclectic and vibrant musical career.
Recloose relocated to New Zealand in 2001 to plant new roots and explore fresh musical horizons. 2005 saw the release of Recloose's second LP, ‘Hiatus On The Horizon’ (Peacefrog/Loop), an album that features a host of New Zealand’s finest musicians and vocalists (and spawned the dancefloor stomper ‘Dust’ feat. guest vocalist Joe Dukie). Recloose’s 2008 international long player, ‘Perfect Timing’, features yet more stellar Kiwi talent (including Tyna Keelan, Rachel Fraser, Joe Dukie, Jonathan Crayford) and took out the prestigious Tui Award (aka NZ Music Award) for best Electronica/Dance album of 2008.
2009 is going to be a big one for Recloose and co. with a re-launch and full-length studio release from the Recloose Live Band (soon to be re-born as ‘Starblazers’), a ‘Recloose Classics’ release on Rush Hour records, and further frenzied floor rocking and globetrotting.
Downloads:
Recloose - The Sanctuary (Shake Aletti Remix) [Unreleased]
Recloose - Can It Be (Mark Flash Remix) [Unreleased]
Ladi6
Ladi6 (Karoline Tamati) is New Zealand’s premier female vocalist MC. She is renowned for her energetic live performances, sublime soulful vocals and conscious lyrics. She is about to release her debut solo album, yet she has cemented herself as a key player in the New Zealand music scene.
Ladi6’s touring and collaborations have established her a significant following throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe. She has performed at all the key festivals in New Zealand including the Big Day Out, Rhythm and Vines, Splore and Parihaka to name a few. She has toured Australia extensively with Scribe and doing her own solo shows, performing at festivals such as the St Kilda Festival and supporting top international artists in Australia such as Ohmega Watts and Freddie Cruger. She has toured Europe with Fat Freddy’s Drop, and has had solo performances in Paris and Germany and throughout the UK.
Ladi6’s highly anticipated and long awaited debut solo album Time Is Not Much is produced by Mu from Fat Freddy’s Drop and Parks has just been released.
Downloads:
Ladi6 - Walk Right Up
Ladi6 - Give Me The Light
We will always be promoting NZ music, whether it's NZMM or not, so keep an eye out for more of our best local talent.
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