Album Review: Kawai

Bilingual albums shouldn’t be special; they should be the norm. Or at least more common.

In AJA’s favour, being a melding of English and Te Reo does make their stunning full length debut, Kawai, stand tall in the crowd. It just shouldn’t be that Kawai is only the second bilingual release I’ve had the opportunity review over my many years here, and I shouldn’t have to make the point that it’s bilingual.

However, being that this is not only the second bilingual release I’ve reviewed, but also the second in the row, there is some hope in knowing that Te Reo continues, despite the renewed attempts to suppress or diminish tangata whenua.

But I’m not here to whinge or be political. There’s a lot more to AJA than the language they use.

The voice of Aja, the wahine behind the name, is strong and soulful, at its best and most vulnerable in the track Tribute, a tender and melancholic vibe, full of yearning, stripped back to just a finger-picked acoustic guitar.

As for the music, Kawai is an atmospheric and dreamy ride. At times sultry bedroom R&B, the soundtrack to a long night in. At other times it’s a psychedelic swirling trip. Sometimes it’s both in the same song, in the case of Mutual Behaviour.

In some ways it feels like a singular journey. Growing and building and learning on the way. In other ways, it feels like a collection of movements, sojourns through space and time, punctuated by the occasional very grounded and real segues, which bring you back down to earth.

The smooth flowing bass lines, restrained driving drum beats, soulful vocals and interesting studio effects characterize the sounds of AJA. The latter, with the panning reverb and vocal effects, brings a depth to the tracks that really makes them pop.

For the sceptical, it’s not all the studio magic of producer Mara TK that makes the songs shine - though they do add some sparkle. The strength of Aja’s voice and the talented band are showcased in the live version of already acclaimed Te Iho for those that were in doubt.

Quiet Storm and Non-Handler are the more obvious hit singles, Non-Handler being an instant classic with its late night vibes and Quiet Storm featuring the renowned Mu. But it was actually the hook in the understated Te Reo ki Whakarongotai that stuck in my head the longest. A real earworm.

Kawai is obviously a work of love and care, curated and crafted over time, a lot of mahi. Dreamt up by an artist with vision, and fleshed out by a cadre of creatives, raised, nurtured, then set free into the world.

Recommended for road trips in the sunshine, or late nights at home.

You can find Kawai wherever it is you find your music.