Music News - Mara TK Releases 'Bad Meditation'
07 May 2021 - 0 Comments
This May sees the highly anticipated return of Mara TK, the
golden voiced singer of the Kiwi future soul trio Electric Wire Hustle. While
EWH’s globally acclaimed career has seen this Maori-Scottish singer wander all
across the world, with his debut solo album Bad Meditation he is returning to
deeply personal topics about his home in Aotearoa.
Electric Wire Hustle released three critically revered albums released over
seven years with their final output being The 11th Sky came in 2016 across
which time they grew a devoted following.
In the five years since then, Mara TK has been on a journey of musical
self-discovery, as he says; “writing this album has been a form of therapy
over the last few years trying to figure out what kind of music I wanted to
make next”. The result, Bad Meditation, is his thirteen-track magnum
opus, written and produced by Mara himself.
Speaking of the process of making the album he says; “I was offered
what was basically a whole studio worth of gear from a friend who was moving
overseas. I took a gamble and bought that gear and have spent the last five
years learning how to use this shit. I had to bet on my own ability to learn
new things so it was scary, but also keep in mind that music, like any other
creative form doesn’t have to be perfect - the brush strokes don’t have to be
exactly straight”.
Bad Meditation is an account of love, loss, healing and the story of Mara’s
Maori heritage. As he explains; “Growing up poor, everything goes through
our indigenous lens. Here in Aotearoa we have our own Gods, our own values, our
own ways of speaking that are different to the colonial/capitalist culture”.
This sentiment is carried through on the groove of Grew Up Inna Chaos (which
features additional vocals by Mara’s nephew 2MY) and the storytelling on
previous single, melancholic lament, Highly Medicated, which sees Mara open
up about his journey to heal following the death of his grandfather. Current
single Bad Meditation and Colours are filled with layered harmonies, while
the influence of Mara’s father, psychedelic rock guitarist Billy TK, seeps
through. Features on the album include Kenyan R&B singer and songwriter
Xenia Manasseh on Met At The River, and Maori musician Troy Kingi on the
Boris Gardiner inspired Every Hori Is A Star.
An alumnus of Red Music Academy in Toronto, Mara TK’s work beyond Electric Wire
Hustle has seen him collaborate with critically lauded names including Om’Mas
Keith of Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Detroit producer and J Dilla collaborator
Waajeed, and Steve Spacek.
YGB Records are proud to partner with Mara to release this masterfully crafted
project. Unfortunately, due to Covid 19 reformatting the entire simulation,
vinyl orders will be delayed. The album will still however be available on all
platforms Friday 7th.
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