23 Apr 2019
Sola Rosa - Single review: Leave a Light On
03 May 2018 // A review by Darryl Baser
The man behind Sola Rosa, Auckland's Andrew Spraggon, has
returned with a tune as strong as anything he's released previously.
A steady bass groove wends its way around a thumping kick drum which is off-set by an excellently syncopated high hat, perfectly timed between kick and snare, to be on the 'and' of the phrase.
The bass keyboard is on the ‘one’ beat and high keys are on the three, adding to layers of syncopation.
This groove is so fat it could make a sumo look like the skinny kid in class.
Sola Rosa has been a mostly solo project for Andrew Spraggon since 1999, and on this tune he’s partying like it is Sola Rosa’s inception year.
Kevin Mark Trail, of UK band The Streets, adds a high soul tenor which soars over the sequences as the lead vocals, and which is beautifully accompanied be Kiwi powerhouse singer, LA Mitchell.
Best known for making seriously funky electronic music, Andrew Spraggon has been refining the Sola Rosa sound for two decades. Leave a Light On was recorded in Spraggon’s well kitted out home studio and is the first single from the forthcoming release called In Spaces.
Guitars include a beautifully fuzzed out lead melody and are provided by Matt Short and Dixon Nacey.
★★★★ (4 stars)
Review written by Darryl Baser
About Sola Rosa
First coming to local music-lovers’ attention as guitarist and vocalist for angular rock band Cicada in the 90s, over the course of the last 9 years Spraggon has been on the receiving end of a Tui (2001’s 'Solarized'), b-net awards (for 2000’s 'Entrance To Skyway' and 2003’s 'Haunted Out-takes'), and a bevy of other accolades and nominations as Sola Rosa, but there’s little doubt when pressing play on 2009's 'Get It Together' that it is his finest accomplishment to date. Taking in a wide swathe of genres, and walking an ever-erratic line between organic and electronic elements, Sola Rosa’s songs continue to pull off Spraggon’s patented trick of electrifying your ears while ensuring that your feet don’t get confused along the way. Three years in the making, 'Get It Together' is best differentiated from its predecessors by a more beat-driven, direct, dance-demanding sound.
Picking up where the performance-based 'Moves On' album left off in 2005, there’s a sweating, smoking live band at the heart of the new record, made up of long-term members of the Rosa roster - Will Scott (drums), Matt Short (bass), and Ben White (guitar). Spraggon studio sorcery has then come into play, tooling up 'Get It Together' for maximum dancefloor impact, and bolstering the album with a roll-call of vocalists, musicians, and compositional contributors running headlong into Sola Rosa’s sonic stirrings at full force – with vocal cuts from Spikey Tee (best known for his work with Jah Wobble, Bomb The Bass, Mark Rae and on some of Sola Rosa’s finest moments); German globetrotter, poet, and singer Bajka; UK MC Serocee; and emerging Wellingtonian songstress Iva Lamkum. Underpinning these outstanding lyrical performances and further illuminating the album’s instrumentals you’ll find an eclectic batch of collaborators that includes the likes of Victoria Kelly, Julien Dyne, Juse, Scratch 22, Hadyn Godfrey, John Highsted, James Duncan, and Miguel Fuentes (who’s played with Isaac Hayes, George Benson, Grover Washington, Patti La Bell and other luminaries).
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Sola Rosa
Releases
Other Reviews By Darryl Baser
Grant Duncan - Album Review: Radiant Sublime
16 Apr 2019 // by Darryl Baser
Grant Duncan is an ex-pat kiwi living and working in Japan. He recorded Radiant Sublime at Momura Studio, in Tokyo.
Read More...
Gig Review: Tally Ho 3 @ Town Hall, Dunedin - 13/04/2019
14 Apr 2019 // by Darryl Baser
The idea of an orchestral concert featuring some of the best known songs from the often debated ‘Dunedin sound’ began with two main drivers: Verlaines founder and music lecturer Graeme Downes, and ‘godfather’ of Dunedin music, Roy (Roi) Colbert, having its first installment in 2015. While Downes again led the evening from the stage, the spirit of Roy who passed away in 2017 was also in the room.
Read More...
Alae - Single Review: Help You Now
10 Apr 2019 // by Darryl Baser
Alae have released their new single Help You Now. It’s the first track to be issued since the release of the Henry St album last year.
Read More...
Repairs - Single Review: Thanks for the Advice
07 Apr 2019 // by Darryl Baser
Auckland band Repairs have dropped a blistering hot new song Thanks For The Advice. In their press the band describe Thanks For The Advice as “Power-emo-post-pop”.
Read More...
Caroline Easther and the Cinnamon Girls - Album Review: Lucky
03 Apr 2019 // by Darryl Baser
The name Caroline Easther has been in the lexicon of New Zealand’s music industry since the heady Flying Nun days when she drummed with The Chills and the Verlaines. Now after a career behind a drum kit she’s staking a place centre stage as a songwriter with her debut album Lucky.
Read More...
Album Review: Armchair Insomniacs
25 Mar 2019 // by Darryl Baser
Originally released a year ago, this is still a solid and credible album, with the band deciding to put it on 180 gram vinyl.In an age when the word ‘diverse’ is rapidly becoming overused, this is a diverse album.
Read More...
Bartells - Single Review: Mistaken
17 Mar 2019 // by Darryl Baser
Auckland’s Sam Bartell, who plays under the name Bartells, is a contemporary singer-songwriter with a country streak as wide as the Mississippi. He’s working towards an Australisian tour next year and is dropping new tunes like leaves drop in Autumn.
Read More...
Rob Joass - Album Review: Pencarrow
28 Feb 2019 // by Darryl Baser
Pencarrow is the third album released by musician Rob Joass, who calls the Kapiti Coast home, or Turangawaiwai, if you will. With more than 25 years as a musician under his belt he’s no stranger to writing, playing and recording music to a high standard.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- OLD TOWN ROAD (REMIX)
Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus - BAD GUY
Billie Eilish - TALK
Khalid And Disclosure - WOW.
Post Malone - SUNFLOWER
Post Malone And Swae Lee - SUCKER
Jonas Brothers - WISH YOU WERE GAY
Billie Eilish - SATURDAY NIGHTS
Khalid - BURY A FRIEND
Billie Eilish - DANCING WITH A STRANGER
Sam Smith And Normani
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
Custom Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
