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Moana And The Tribe - Rima Album Review

02 Oct 2014 // A review by Joel C Blood
According to the albums publicists, this is Moana and the Tribe's 5th Studio album, and it wasn't what I was expecting. This was primarily a good thing as I like surprises but it did catch me a little off guard.

The production of the record harks back to the late 90's. Paddy Free (Pitch Black) takes us on a sonically nostalgic journey. Stages of the trip however, sometimes felt a little dated, when compared to the bombastic textures of more recent artists such as Kora and Tiki Taane. However, saying that, the record is crisp and everything sits nicely.

The record features some beautiful Te Reo, which is really refreshing, despite the fact that it will cut a huge chunk of their domestic market out. Strangely, I thought after listening to this record that it would fare probably better in countries like Germany than it would probably do here, despite having such strong Kiwi themes.

It will be really interesting to see how this record does. I can't see it breaking the mainstream, but it will do extremely well in the world music circles and in places like the Nelson Bays. I hope that Iwi radio picks the singles up, so that this unique balance of traditional instrumentation and electronica can develop further.

Stand out track for my was Put Your Hand Up and I have to say the musicianship couldn't be faulted. There are a couple of great guest appearances also, namely Grant Haua (Swamp Thing) and Don McGlashan.

A well produced record that re-enforces why Moana and the Tribe are one of our key cultural ambassadors abroad.
 

About Moana And The Tribe

New Zealand band Moana & the Tribe defy easy definition as their music slips and slides across genre ‘creating dub-ambient-soul-funk from nowhere else but right here, right now.’

One of the most distinctive, articulate and significant voices and long acknowledged for having consistently pushed the boundaries of Māori music in both her recordings and live performances, singer/songwriter Moana Maniapoto (Ngati Tuwharetoa /Tuhourangi /Ngati Pikiaao) who - first with Moana and the Moahunters and latterly as Moana & the Tribe - has taken her often politically conscious music to festivals across the world.

She paid her way through law school by singing in covers bands, took her version of the feminist soul song Black Pearl with her band Moana & the Moahunters onto the charts in 1990. Moana has articulated a Maori perspective of colonisation in memorable songs (not the least in the powerful song Treaty) and has effectively incorporated taonga puoro (traditional instruments) into music which refers to rock, soul, classical and reggae - but always sounds solely like Moana-music.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Moana And The Tribe

Releases

Rima
Year: 2014
Type: Album
The Best Of Moana and The Tribe
Year: 2012
Type: Album
Acoustic
Year: 2010
Type: Album
Wha
Year: 2008
Type: Album
Toru
Year: 2003
Type: Album
Live And Proud
Year: 2003
Type: DVD
Rua
Year: 1998
Type: Album
Tahi
Year: 1993
Type: Album

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