Off the bat, I’ve got to admit - Seth Haapu is one of my favourite Kiwi musicians, he’s the kind of young artist that makes me excited for the future of New Zealand music, and his ear for melody is amazing. Volume I his latest EP is a slick, wee taste whetter that kicks off with B.R.L (Blue Ribbon Lady) - a soulful, melodic-pop masterpiece that features some of the classiest vocal hooks I’ve ever heard. The mixing is masterful with crisp percussion and a crowning touch in leaving the guitar player’s string noise in there.
Taste is my favourite from the collection – percussive and grooving, the only improvement I could call for is having the bass a bit higher in the mix. It also comprises one of the slickest lyrics I’ve come across in a while “I state my innocence time and time again, even then you’ll be a b*tch, because you can”.
10 Years finishes out the collection - a slowed up, piano based piece that feels like closure to the relationship initiated and highlighted within the EP’s other two songs. Volume I makes for an amazingly cohesive listening experience, managing to convey a lifetime over the course of three songs, my main complaint is simply that it is too short.
Seth Haapu's Volume I EP is available from iTunes from 25 March.
In life, some things are simply ‘written’; Seth Haapu being destined for a life in music is one of these things. The first signs could be seen at the tender age of eight, where he was already utilising a pair of cassette players to record harmonies for his earliest song writing efforts. Fast-forward to present day, and the mastering of multiple instruments, and he’s still at it. Now though, the cassette players have been replaced by the mixing desks of Neil Finn’s infamous Roundhead studios; the result being his self-titled debut album.
For the musical wunderkind, born in Whanganui around the sounds of Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Elvis Presley, music has always come naturally. Haapu began uploading his work online whilst living in Sydney which garnered strong industry attention and a solid fanbase. A contract with Sony Music New Zealand sealed the deal, followed by a return to his homeland and support slots with international names including Adam Lambert and Train and local legends Crowded House, Stellar* and Supergroove.
Haapu’s debut album is set for release on August 8th. On its formation, Haapu says “During the writing process I really went back to being a kid in the 90’s listening to old school music from the 1950’s - 1970’s. I loaded my iPod up with retro songs and a few current Top 40 hits and that’s what I listened to for months”.