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David Edwards - Album Review: The Electricka Zoo

28 Nov 2017 // A review by Corinne Rutherford

If you are on the hunt for a totally original, mind warping album that smacks you across the face with big sound, than this is it. No calming tranquil naval gazing going on here, this self-titled 8 track album may leave you wondering what the heck you are listening to.

Two dudes from New Plymouth now living in our nation’s capital and flying way under the corporate, conventional music radar.  Warning… not for the faint hearted.

To give you a hint of what is in store for your senses, here is a wee definition of the auditory delights waiting. “A duo of Dave Edwards & The Digitator, The Electricka Zoo combine influences from EDM and post-punk avant-garde to jazz, reggae, Balkan and Portuguese music”. Imagine if you will all these genres thrown into a blender and out comes a unique loud tornado of electronic sounding rock / punk infused with the afore mentioned genres.  All this is wrapped up in colourful Mandala artwork by Lucie Hannon so if you are intrigued then read on.

This is original indie – fringe music, emanating a unique sound that somehow only bands from Wellington can produce, but it left me wondering how you dance to it. And if you are brave enough how do you dance to it without hurting yourself? These are questions that needed answering so I took to YouTube to see exactly what one does at an Electricka Zoo gig.  I found a wee clip that indicated people were in such awe that moving was not an option, but I am sure things heated up later, and I am almost certain Show Me Your House Moves will grow on me.

The more you listen to The Electricka Zoo the more the Ethno vibe shines through thanks to Dave Edwards(alter ego Black) and his travels.  Dave’s audio-visual projects come under the umbrella label of Fiffdimenson, which if you take a closer look  is very world music focused.

These guys will be playing at the NZ Fringe Fest in Wellington, March 9, 10 and 16, 2018, and I am very tempted to do a road trip to my favourite place in the whole wide world, just so I can seek them out and see if this is danceable music. I salute anyone that makes a whole album out of EDM post-punk avant-garde rock / jazz, raggae, Balkan, Portuguese music.

They will be annihilating our airwaves before you know it, or at least emanating out into the darkness from the Valhalla.


Review written by Corinne Rutherford

 

About David Edwards

A self-taught outsider, David Edwards began writing songs as a teenager in New Plymouth, and released the debut Fiffdimension album Scratched Surface on CDR in 1998.

He spent the turn-of-the-millennium era in Wellington (his birthplace), amid the free-improvisation and avant-garde music scene (& yes was an extra in Lord of the Rings). Over the next six years he made an idiosyncratic series of albums on CDR and cassette, fusing acoustic folk and electric postpunk with modernist spoken word and free improv. And formed The Winter Trio with Mike Kingston and Simon Sweetman.

In 2005 Dave collaborated with Nigel Patterson (The Black Seeds), winning Best Music Award in the NZ Fringe Festival with their 18-piece punk orchestra Ascension Band.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for David Edwards

Releases

águas brilhantes: 2018-2022
Year: 2022
Type: Album
Escape Velocity
Year: 2018
Type: Album
The Electricka Zoo
Year: 2017
Type: Album

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