The latest EP release from Dunedin’s Buda is an orgy of space rock pandemonium that sounds as if it could have come straight from 1974. The EP Days of Colour draws inspiration from the likes of Hawkwind, David Bowie, T-rex and early ‘Quo all through the modern filter of Buda’s own unique and spellbinding sound.

The EP opens with the bite of Wilbur McDougall’s fierce guitar riffage. The title track Days of Colour has a catchy groove and rock-solid beat. The perfect opener to announce the band’s strident presence. The repeated riff has an unrelenting power to it, off-set with the tuneful vocals. A straightforward rocker that does the job of proclaiming Buda’s intentions, planting the flag for modern day rock n roll.

The brash sound continues with Cocoon. A brilliantly left-field riff slips and slides its way into the main body of the song. Splashy cymbals fill the high frequencies with a kind of audible expression of excitement. The vocal has a Sabbath-esque reverb growl to it and sits nicely in the mix with the other instruments. The real genius of this track comes with the tempo change two-thirds through in. One of those proper head-banging musical moments that are all too sorely lacking in most modern music these days.

Das Auto takes a slightly different tack, with a hint of the power ballad about it. Once again the track is another riff based monster, but with a slightly moodier and more reflective sound. The vocals in the chorus stand out as being particularly well performed. Buda do a fantastic job of capturing the classic rock sound, in a way that doesn’t seem at all derivative and all the while remains completely authentic. This EP has obviously been made by a band who live and breathe rock music.

Next up the rhythm based groover Writings gives the low end room to fly. The interplay between the drumming and the guitar riff is particularly interesting and really hammers home the decadent groove. The bass roars like the thunder of a truck engine, propelling the powerhouse sound, between the lowdown, dirty verses and the aerodynamic chorus. The guitar solo also adds a nice touch of oddity to proceedings with its outside sounds a perfect foil to the rest of the fist-punching track.

A standout from the EP is the funky Sweetness. Another stunning bass and drum groove ticks over throughout, steadily ploughing forward with impeccable timing and rock-solid rhythm. The guitar slices through the high end like a wedge of lime garnishing a delicious dark and stormy cocktail of pure flowing funk-rock.

Rounding off the EP So Blue takes us onward to the final stage of the journey. The adventurous and captivating nature of Buda’s sound is crystallised in this powerful closer. Although lacking in the raw gusto of other tracks there is an enchanting and heartfelt quality to So Blue that lifts it to perhaps even greater heights than its predecessors. The sincerity of the lyrics alongside the gelled and brilliantly structured sound of the instruments stand out as particularly effective.

‘Help me, help me I’m going insane, help me, help me I don’t want to stay… so blue.’

Throughout the EP Buda’s song writing is tight and well executed. Although it is always easy to point to influences in this style of music it is worth outlining that Buda are not merely copying their musical heroes. They have a great deal of their own ideas and sounds to offer to this genre; steeped in a heady brew of retro ideas and drawing on the best of these while still remaining essentially themselves. They pull off this feat spectacularly well, with a great deal of style, panache and an earnestness of vision.

Buda is one of those bands whose output is particularly difficult to put into words. One has to feel the music, let it shape the images in your mind, let yourself make the multitude of infinitesimally small micro-connections in the brain and come to understand where they’re coming from and more importantly, where they’re taking us. Buda is everything the 21st century needs in a hard-rocking, floor shaking, powerhouse of space, funk, groove rock n roll!

• 1
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• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  Devilskin
• 8
  Coridian
• 9
  The Boondocks
• 10
  Late to Chelsea

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  The Phoenix Foundation @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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