From Darkness to Light

This is the debut album for a hard working mother and daughter trio from Hamilton with their roots solidly grounded in reggae. Despite only being around for 18 months, they have crammed a lot in including gigs throughout the Auckland/Bay of Plenty/Gisborne/Hawkes Bay areas and headlining a number of festivals and now, an album.

This album did surprise me with the professionalism, strong work ethic and a natural flow that shines through. I really felt that this group believes in what they are singing and the messages behind each song. The vocals, while not overpowering, were strong and the harmonies were well thought out.

This is not surprising after reading their principles that they follow. These include empowerment and self-determination that is strongly apparent in the lyrics.

The album opens with the title track “From Darkness to Light” which starts off quite R&B and soulful. Part way through, it changes (very successfully) to a reggae base but still maintaining that dub feeling. The lyrics induced hope and a strong belief in oneself.

“Turn the Music Up” was another stand out track for me. I found the small run of a cappella chords within the song a pleasant surprise. This is a track that would be great to socialise with.

Not often do I come across with an album with a mixture of languages and cultures, but I found the track “Nohau Te Ao” in Te Reo quite melodic and uplifting. It fitted well within the overall presentation of the album and it shows a strength, a belief, in ones self, culture and the desire to keep and show this beautiful language for what it is – truly a treasure.

NGR Rising are touring soon, so check out their page to see if they will be in your area. They definitely a group to see.