26 March 2021 - 0 Comments

Poneke’s very own dub supergroup Dr. Reknaw are proud to announce the release of their lush and uplifting nine-track debut album, Rektified, a vibrational cosmic soup that has been four years in the making. A deeply open and lyrically candid body of work, Rektified is backed up by luxuriant layers of dub, soul and RnB brought by the expert musicianship of the band’s many insanely talented members.

“We have been crafting these songs since we (Julia and I) began jamming together on our travels in 2017, when our vision to return home to Aotearoa and make an album became crystal clear.

“Four years later, here we have Rektified. Nine songs that have given us so much. They’ve given us the ability to express so deeply, and have created such potent love and joy that we share as a band and with our audiences. Inspired by many different aspects of life’s journey, the peaks to the pits and all in between, allowing us to feel the connection to ourselves and all that exists in this universe” – Sophie Cooper

Originally the brainchild of two sisters, Julia and Sophie Cooper, as a way to feel grounded and to express emotions open-heartedly through the medium of music, Dr. Reknaw has now flourished into the band we now know; eight members weaving together an expertly crafted sound containing bass, keys, trumpet, saxophone, guitar, drums, percussion and everything in between. It is almost impossible not to tap your foot to. Rektified really is a journey that the listener takes with the band, elevating them to another plane.

Speaking of their sound, Sophie says, “The inspiration behind our sound is lengthy, but I feel like a lot of it comes from what each song is about. We want the music to reflect the lyrics, and I feel this comes through really strongly in the solos.

“The way everyone has expressed themselves in these recordings really moves me, everyone playing with their hearts open. We draw inspiration for grooves from the likes of Trinity Roots, Bob Marley & the Wailers, J Dilla, Badu, anything with heavy pockets, that’s uplifting and makes your body move.”

Dr. Reknaw, featuring members Sophie and Julia Cooper, Hayden Richardson, Eilish Wilson, Jules Blewman, Ben Stewart, Luther Hunt, and Zane Hawkins, come together to create a sound that at its very root is sonically empowering, reflecting the true closeness of each band member, and the way they so effortlessly lock together.

“The songwriting always happened when we were in a state of flow, always feeling very organic, and then moving forward and bringing these songs to the band has been next level. The musicians that make up this band are so incredible at what they do, and I feel so indescribably blessed to play and write music with these people” – Sophie

The full band will be taking Rektified on an extensive tour of Aotearoa to celebrate their release, with full details below:

20th March – Relish Festival, Waimate
1st April – Yot Club, Raglan
3rd April – The Rising Tide, Tauranga
9th April – San Fran, Wellington
16th April – Anthology Lounge, Auckland
29th April – Mono, Christchurch
30th April – Dive Bar, Dunedin
1st May – Yonder Bar, Queenstown

Comments

Return to News Archive