19 July 2024 - 0 Comments

Soulful Wellington artist Louis Baker returns with new track Fools Expectation.

Listen HERE / Watch Video HERE

As a fresh offering, Louis Baker releases Fools Expectation, a sweet-soul ballad that blends both retro influences with modern sonics and draws from the rich stylings of Al Green and The Delfonics. The track features a tape-saturated 6/8 drum groove, Motown-style bass lines, vibrolux-tremolo guitars, and Baker’s timeless and evocative voice.

Baker reflects on the inspiration of the song, “When the well was running dry, the rain came pouring down. This first line of the song describes how I was feeling about the world at that time. Sometimes you run out of energy or will power. You get down. Then things change. You get through. You remember everyone is having their own unique challenges and you put everything into perspective. You feel grateful for necessities like food, shelter and water.”

Recorded at his beachside studio, Fools Expectation features Baker's talent on all instruments, including bass, guitar, vocals, drum programming and production. The track was mixed by Simon Gooding and mastered by Mike Gibson.

Fools Expectation follows the success of his revered release, Been and Gone featuring Wellington songstress Wallace, which has garnered over 800,000 Spotify streams and was recently named one of the APRA Silver Scrolls Top 20 songs. The track received high praise from Rolling Stone, which remarked, "Sounding like if Khruangbin were fronted by two blue-eyed soul crooners”.

Baker has released two EPs, his debut album Open and several well-loved singles, including his cult hit Rainbow. Open (2019) earned a Taite Music Prize nomination and Aotearoa Music Awards nominations for Best Soul Artist and Best Māori Artist. Singles like Back On My Feet (2014), Rainbow (2016), Black Crow (2018), and Been and Gone feat. Wallace (2024) have received APRA Silver Scroll nominations, showcasing his songwriting excellence.

Along the way, he’s entertained ever-growing audiences at festivals and venues across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the UK while sharing stages with Jordan Rakei, Allen Stone, Jamie Lidell, and Fat Freddy’s Drop.

Fools Expectation marks the beginning of a series of releases for Baker. Anticipate more music and tour announcements as he continues to deliver his signature offering, indie-soul music for the people."

Fools Expectation is available now on all major streaming outlets via his independent label, Ngākau Records.

Made with the support of NZ On Air.

Photo Credit: Aiden Fernando

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