Offspring of one of Aotearoa’s most famous songs, John Hore Grenell, and brother of Country/Folk artist Amiria Grenell, Oakley cut his teeth down in Otautahi over a decade ago under the tutelage of Jazz greats like Mike Nock. I first got to meet him back in 2008 as he was preparing to fly the ditch following the release of his lounge/funk mix-up called Moving On. Since then, Oakley has established himself in Naarm Melbourne, home of many expats, as a producer, record label owner and music teacher. But even though his background hints at Country, Folk and Jazz, what he's been squirrelling away on over the last decade has been far from timid.

Echoes packages up 11 big bass bangers, worthy of filling floor spaces like The Boiler Room, or festivals like Rhythm n Vines or Northern Bass.

This might be his first album in 10 years but he's still been busy on a range of 6-track ops, remix projects, videos and makes a live-stream video show on Twitch with collaborator Max Shotta called Friday Night LETOFF. Shotta who helps out on a range of tracks on this album. As does John Clayton of Increase Audio and DnB producer Nu:Tone of NTM Mastering, UK. Shout out to them for the clean crisp sounds that never disappear in the potential sludge bass heaviness can threaten sometimes.

This music is everything. Ragamuffin, Soundsystem, Dub, DnB, Trip hop, maybe trance elements or variations of that depending on specifically which moment you are listening or raving.

Overall, it's a culmination of efforts made on guitars, bass, MPD and laptop, and like all good EDMs it features a host of MCs and vocalists.

“Musically, I’m paying homage to my 2004 debut Uncharted LP”, meaning some reworked material from that period. In a nod to that era, How You Like That is a wonderfully lush pastiche of mid-naughties electronica and chilled trip hop featuring some haunting vocals from jazz trained singer Jennine Bailey. Later in the album, Currents appears in a similar vibe, like a ghost drop from the forest of the ‘Gathering’ floating in on a loop of reedy synthetic bamboo flutes. It’s got this cool Zen quality about it.

The most obvious track from the early days is Sirens, made with a heavy presence from the UK Dubstep undergrounder Lyndon White (aka Raggadon) on the mic. The original had a light touch Augustus Pablo meets DnB feel to it. The new mix, relabelled Sirens Coming, returns White to the front of the track and is way more bass heavy, with the knob set to 11 on the skank dial. This one will go off for sure when Grenell drops it during sets on his upcoming summer tour.

Here's the original Sirens:

And here's the new version, Sirens Coming:

Other thrills will come on the ‘modern dance hall and trap-based music’ stylings of Madness featuring the crazed speed demon vocals of YT, the dark destroyer track Rude Bwoy Feat. King Ru wielding the rhymes – its a mix of Future Sounds of London, Dizzee Rascal and Shabba Ranks. Elsewhere look out for the hunky ball blaster Drop On Em with his own collab-boy Max Shotta. Shotta is known for his collab with Hlats, in the duo Shottaz, both being originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, specialising in Dancehall and Afrobeat.

Look out for a club floor anthem called Unite to get you worked up and a nice slice of pure old school Lee Perry ‘Archaeology’ dub-meets 90’s techno on the appropriately titled Bad Man, my person fav on the collection.

There’s plenty of variety on this set. Interesting mixes and some surprising drops and interludes. Oakley has quietly crafted some new classics here and I hope the EDM community come to the party and celebrate him. If you need a soundtrack from your upcoming New Years rave up, then make sure you cue this one up, you’ll have all your mates bouncing around the back lawn with festive excitement.

*PS Rumour has it there will be a remix EP coming out next year, too.

Click Here for Tour Dates

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 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

• 
  LOST BiRD @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Just Janie @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Dream Chambers @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024
• 
  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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