Huia x Sean Richards – Punakaiki, Eyes Shine
“Connected with the bright Sun and the infinity of the ocean, this Drum & Bass track will travel you in exotic places. A collaborative production where soft vocals contradict with fast breaks in the most balanced way. Interesting result from experienced artists.”
-Nagamag.com
Coast after Coast, Bay after Bay
Tūāuri, Kīkorangi, Valley and Sea
Up with the Sun, Ride with the Moon
Running the Road down. No one to hide from now’
“‘Punakaiki’ is a tribute to a memory and to one of Aotearoa’s iconic spots on the West Coast of Te Wai Pounamu, South Island, close to Seans home of Whakatū, Nelson.
This waiata was penned by Huia after a sporadic 2 day trip, organised by the Sweet Mix Kids, for a crew of new friends to journey to Māwhera (Greymouth) and wind back through the stunning passes, over valleys and sea.
Their last stop was at Punakaiki aka ‘Pancake rocks’. With bright blue skies to light the way, the group of 30 wandered through nikau and punga groves, to visit what Huia refers to as ‘our rocky ancestors’, ‘ngā tīpuna kohatu’.
Written bilingually, in te reo Māori and english, Huia and Sean feel this is the natural state of Aotearoa and its people. With the smooth stream of Sean's high-level musicianship, combined with Huia’s lyrical wairua (energy), ‘Punakaiki’ came to be and is another te ro Māori Dnb tune produced at Kog Studio.
‘Punakaiki’ is also a banger of DnB tune!
A tribute to Aotūroa, our living heritage, ‘Punakaiki’ is a liquid DNB tune, however, Huia and Sean offer it as another step in the evolution of musicianship for te ao Māori and a link asset to the restorative language process happening around the world.
Both Sean and Huia have a full music journey happening in 2022. Sean is releasing new tunes and performing all the time as well as co-writing, Huia is music educating with Paige Julia and Ed Zuccholo and keeping the MPGNZ cranking… they also have a new tune coming out in June for Matariki, a remix of Huia’s song ‘Tui Tuia’ which is also another liquid DNB te reo Māori waiata.
Reviewed by Nagamag on June 13, 2022