01 March 2024 - 0 Comments

Multi-disciplinary Māori artist Byllie-jean (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Pahauwera) has released her debut solo EP Filter featuring the focus track of the same name. Out via Distrokid, Filter is an experimental sonic journey of contrast and drama from starlight to the swamp – the grimy and the ethereal effortlessly combining with sides of satire. According to Byllie-jean, these are the sounds from her world as an island dweller, a jungle lover and indigenous storyteller in her colonised country of Aotearoa.

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As well as focus track Filter, Filter features previously released singles Desperate Fools (2023), a spine-tingling noir ballad; beat-driven single Running Amuck (2023), which boldly speaks to the history of Māori land loss; and Heck (2021), a track in the style of a Hip-Hop fairytale. You can now also listen to E moko feat. Marlon Williams and author/poet Isla Huia. The stunning waiata is an ode to tīpuna and mokopuna using taonga puoro and electric synth. The EP also features unusual interlude Korimako feat. Pōneke / Wellington RnB artist Aja.

“There's healing in these songs for me, and stories within stories, they are recorded snapshots of moments in time – lots of blood and water and bush and memory and suburbia. This collection of completed songs was grown and documented from a friendship come recording project with producer Chris Wethey; we would met each Thursday and a sound soon emerged that was acoustic and clean as well as electronically muddy and hard-hitting due to my partiality to 808s.” Byllie-jean

Byllie-jean has been raising her whānau, studying and working – she has performed live, produced shows and composed prolifically. At this stage in her life she finds herself with the capacity, experience and guts to tell her stories as a wahine Māori, whaea, kuia and artist in Aotearoa. She won the 2022 APRA Maioha Award for her song with Aja Te Iho, and has been creating and releasing visual and sonic content steadily ever since.

Photo Credit: Chris We

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