Ska and reggae specialists Strangely Arousing hail from Rotorua, and the five lads have been making plenty of waves in the Aotearoa music scene over half a dozen years. They won SmokeFree Pacifica Beats in 2013, went on to perform at numerous Raggamuffin and Rhythm & Vines festivals, and even toured South Korea and China. Having nailed down a full-length album in 2017, plus a healthy handful of grooved-out singles tucked under belts, the band now have a second single released off their upcoming EP Don’t Panic.

The sounds of this single Airplanes are nicely interwoven and layered, driven by the shuffled syncopation of Oliver Prendergast’s drums, and Shaun Lopez’s plodding, moseying finger-bass rhythms which is typical of reggae songs. The rhythm section, when coupled with the airy, psychedelic keyboards courtesy of Forrest Thorp, creates a hypnotic blend that is highly interesting to listen to. Arguably, Strangely Arousing’s songwriting secret weapons are the twisty and wonderous keyboard riffs. The addition of a light trumpet in the first few verses is also a nice touch, providing a little coy, playful attitude. Near the end of the track, the keyboards crescendo powerfully to a fun, bopping groove, while the guitar tastefully doodles some sly-sounding notes.

The lyrics are told from the viewpoint of a down-on-his-(or her!)-luck beggar, who’s downtrodden and been neglected by the well-off. Bitterly, the beggar claims, "They tried to disown me, tried to cut my natty dread", while dispensing his personal wisdom that "Nothing lasts forever, so enjoy your luxury". With a mixed tone of both desperation and resentment, the writer ultimately is humbled in the knowledge that at least "Money don’t own me". Poverty isn’t an often-chosen topic for many songwriters, so having a deep narrative to ponder makes this little ditty a refreshing listening experience.

The song flows very well, and the passages are beautifully articulated. Production is polished, and the balance of vocals and keyboards is magnificent to listen to. With such a good amount of depth, it’s a small pity that the song clocks in under 3 minutes. Ones feels the atmosphere that’s built up near the end could have been utilised and explored more, even if for another eight bars.

Aurally, in all, Airplanes lays out the perfect summer vibe that Aotearoa’s reggae and roots music is known for. With spring and summer just on the horizon, one can picture with ease this song warming up an open-air gig in a park, or accompanying the smells of a barbecue out in one’s backyard.

Fingers crossed we can all go to a reggae show and have a decent knees-up; follow Strangely Arousing on Facebook or Instagram for any and all updates on upcoming gigs, save them on Spotify and stayed tuned for new music!

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