29 Mar 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

Rei - Album Review: The Bridge

06 Aug 2019 // A review by jck2

With a music career on a continued upward trajectory, 25 year old musician Rei is reaping the rewards of his hard work and dedication to his craft with his third and latest album The Bridge going to number 1 on the iTunes Hip Hop charts.  

Self-belief, positivity and connection to his Maori roots is how I would sum up what Rei is all about. With the title of his new album describing him as being 'The Bridge' between the many worlds he walks between.

Rei is very active on social media, frequently popping up on my news feed with charming and entertaining posts. Hosting a successful album listening party and recently playing an impromptu performance at the Ihumatao reclamation protests and even appearing on the ever popular morning children's TV show ‘What Now’.

I’ve been following Rei's career for quite a few years. I reviewed his successful previous album A Place To Stand and I have seen him live a couple times. I’ve heard his music go from strength to strength. His songwriting is always strong but now on The Bridge with increased industry support and access to quality studios and producers the production is on lock and as equally strong. 

The Bridge took Rei over 2 years to make and is packed with potential pop hit after pop hit. The kind of music the radio eats up. I know from experience that contemporary music isn’t easy to write or produce but Rei smashes these songs out of the park. He’s going for the general urban radio listening public that is plentiful in New Zealand. Rei's youth, effervescent personality and cute clean cut style puts him in a great position to be a Bonafide pop star. Smart moves from a clearly extremely talented and very savvy artist.

The Bridge flows effortlessly from great song to great song. All killer no filler as they say. The production is world class. Flawless even. Thanks to the mixing and mastering of Chris Chetland. With some high calibre features from a slew of artists including up-and-coming reggae artist Lion Rezz on the song Too Easy. The musical style follows the latest trends in Hip Hop, RnB and Pop music and is very accessible. The album has a light, happy, carefree vibe to it and explores the highs and lows of a relationship.

There wasn’t a song on this album that was weak or out of place and Rei’s music effortlessly crosses genres, languages and cultures, collecting millions of streams on the way. If you’re into radio friendly, positive uplifting contemporary urban music The Bridge by Rei will blow you away. World class music from a world class artist. Rei's stellar run of music awards and number ones looks to continue. I don’t think there will be any stopping him anytime soon.

Rating: ( 5 / 5 )
 

About Rei

Chief, Rangatira, Fair-skinned, Rapper… we all have our definitions of ourselves and those that are given to us. Rei's album A Place To Stand is a personal and universal. It's beautifully produced with content that rides the line between reverse colonisation, inspiration, hip-hop, culture and a passion to make a dope album.

If Rei is an example of upcoming Kiwi artists, the future looks bright. From creating music the last 10 years to present his multi genre sound, Rei is definitely on the cutting edge, and is influenced by our global music community. Mostly by the UK House/Garage style, by Hip hop from major US rappers but, his album has the extra elements of Maori language, haka and kiwi slang, making the sum of A Place to Stand a smoothly produced audio experience. It also sounds BIG in a stadium or club setting.

Already releasing a number of tracks from this album, A Place To Stand includes beauties like Mix an electro acoustic ballad (with Rei on guitar), a lot of club bangers such as Deep and a few not-so- cheesy love songs like Basics.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Rei

Releases

Ariki
Year: 2022
Type: Album
Enjoy The Ride Pt 1
Year: 2021
Type: Album
Hoea
Year: 2020
Type: Album
The Bridge
Year: 2019
Type: Album
Rangatira
Year: 2018
Type: EP
A Place To Stand
Year: 2017
Type: Album

Other Reviews By jck2

Vajra God - EP Review: Linkages
16 Jul 2020 // by jck2
Vajra God as far as I can make out is the alter ego and sexual side of David Patterson aka Esoligh. This EP is about sex and the songs are sexually explicit.
Read More...
The Robba - Album Review: Rob Arthur
06 Feb 2020 // by jck2
Rob Arthur by The Robba is an 11-track album of synth heavy rap songs dripping in The Robba’s very unique sound and style. The Robba is infinitely talented, taking credits for beats, guitar, rapping, singing, mixing, mastering and even making the music videos.
Read More...
Devaur - Album Review: Product Of A Vision
23 Feb 2019 // by jck2
Devaur is a West Auckland Producer and MC who has been dedicated to his craft for over 10 years. Producing numerous projects, music videos and mix tapes including albums for Synteck and Manix not to mention his numerous features and collaborations.
Read More...
Factor - EP Review: Champions of the Digital World
30 Jan 2019 // by jck2
The west side of Auckland is back in full effect with Factor's latest release Champions of the Digital World, which features many of west Auckland's finest MC’s including heavy hitters Pakkz Tha General, Alpha, Dlar, {K.A.
Read More...
Gig Reivew: Wu Tang Clan @ The Trusts Arena, Auckland - 14/12/2018
16 Dec 2018 // by jck2
The most iconic and arguably the best Hip-Hop group of all time graced West Auckland's Trust Arena on Friday night to celebrate 25 years of the Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) album, which they performed in its entirety.  The night started with DJ Sir-Vere and MC JB the War Villain followed by local Hip Hop group SWIDT who dropped tracks from their debut album including Ric Flair and No Emotion In The Wild.
Read More...
Zams Feat Zed Koen - Single/Video Review: New Money
05 Dec 2018 // by jck2
New Money is the hot new music video from Zaman Lewis AKA Zams, featuring rapper Zed Koen New Money brings the new school rules to the ring with their contemporary trap styles. Vibrant cinematography makes this video pop with colour and movement.
Read More...
SWIDT - EP Review: The Most Electrifying
15 Aug 2018 // by jck2
Onehunga's own SWIDT have released their 6-song EP The Most Electrifying. SWIDT's style is in the same contemporary direction as American Superstars J Cole and Migos, but with SWIDT’s exceptional talent of translating their big personalities, humour, wit and vibe to their records.
Read More...
Icepro - Single Review: Last Breath
24 Jul 2018 // by jck2
Icepro’s new single Last Breath, featuring Piri Mac, is a tribute to West Coast 90’s Gangster rap with a nod to the hook from the 1997 hit Going Back To Cali by Notorious B.I.
Read More...
View All Articles By jck2

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE)
    Ariana Grande
  • BEAUTIFUL THINGS
    Benson Boone
  • END OF BEGINNING
    Djo
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • TEXAS HOLD 'EM
    Beyonce
  • STICK SEASON
    Noah Kahan
  • PRAISE JAH IN THE MOONLIGHT
    YG Marley
  • CARNIVAL
    Kanye West And Ty Dolla $ign
  • SATURN
    SZA
  • LOVIN ON ME
    Jack Harlow
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
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 ProblemReport A Problem