Single Review: Stand Up

As with a lot of established and up and coming Kiwi artists, the pandemic that is Covid-19 has thrown a spanner in the works for recording, releases and live shows and SOJØURN have also been in the same boat.

But here it is, the latest offering from these young Northland lads. To my ears Stand Up has a Black Seeds vibe. It kicks off with moody synths and a funky bass and guitar riff before building into an upbeat reggae groove with tight drumming and horn flourishes embellishing the track. With its positive and conscious lyrics (no doubt inspired by Marley’s anthem Get Up, Stand Up) “You got to stand up, never slow down, no matter what, we’re bringing the sound, you got to stand up and never slow down”.

Stand Up is a party song through and through. A fun and uplifting tune that will translate nicely live this summer. After a sold-out show at Mangawhai Tavern and a rip-roaring set at the Leigh Sawmill these lads clearly know how to put on a blistering live set.

Whilst their sound is nothing new in NZ, with a plethora of similar-sounding bands gracing Aotearoa now, they do this genre very well. This song recorded at Roundhead studios is very nicely produced as well. Look out for this song hitting the local airwaves and the band hitting the summer touring circuit in 2020/2021.