Single Review: Otherside

Poneke based Valley Kids have been drawing a career arc that continues upward from their first release in 2020, and with the support of NZ On Air the four piece have released their third single Otherside.

Right from the opening guitar refrain, it’s clear what an experienced and cohesive unit this is. Otherside is tight and focused. It has the precision, musical skill and production nous that quite clearly reflects a high level of songwriting skill. Given the collected CVs and experience of everyone involved, this is no surprise.

The reggae style is pervasive, and older ears might recognise the flavour of The Crates in this, in addition to the long list of band names (Sons of Zion, Tomorrow People, Creative Natives) associated with the members .Certainly Valley Kids are well versed in the musical elements that go into this genre, and the arrangement is subtle, musical and above all, fluent. Its fine work. Lyrically, Otherside stays in pretty safe territory, while maintaining a strong melodic line. The feel-good vibe is overt and one can certainly sense that a song with a melody as strong as this is destined for live stages come summer.

An emphatic statement then, from Valley Kids. A band that has settled into its stride creatively and bringing considerable musical skill and experience to bear in their third outing.