Karekare: Te Reo O Te Whenua

Paddy Free is one of NZ's best-known electronic musicians, widely recognised as one-half of electronic duo Pitch Black. He has written music for TV, film, theatre, dance and multi-media art, as well as acting as (an award-winning) producer and engineer for NZ artists such as Crowded House, Salmonella Dub, Supergroove, Emma Paki and Stellar*. Karekare: Te Reo O Te Whenua is Paddy’s debut solo album, and it is released on the Dub Conspiracy label.

“The Language Of The Land” sees Paddy unite with Richard Nunns (Te Ku Te Whe), a master of Taonga Puoro (traditional Maori instruments), to create a uniquely Aotearoa sound, which pays homage to the raw beauty of the NZ landscape – and in particular the titular and broodingly spectacular Auckland West Coast beach, Karekare. Ranging from dreamy ambience to full-on pounding beats, Karekare: Te Reo O Te Whenua is a sonic journey that captures the many moods of Karekare. It was Paddy's intention that the electronic parts always serve the kaupapa behind the Taonga – that nothing be taken out of context, or dominated by the electronic elements.