Top 10 vinyl record of Hawke’s Bay music artists released
A Hawke’s Bay Charitable Trust that supports local musicians has launched a vinyl record compilation featuring 10 local musicians with the aim of unearthing the next Benee or Marlin Williams.
The Backline Charitable Trust today released the Hawke's Bay Compilation Vinyl Record to showcase some of the best musical artists selected by music industry leaders Mike Chunn, a former Split Enz band member Mike Chunn, Lorraine Barry, Dave Dobbyn’s manager and former Shapeshifter band member Devin Abrams.
The three judges selected 10 potential hits from 39 entries.
Chunn, who is also behind the Play it Strange music programme and former owner of Mushroom Records, says all 10 artists have considerable talent, with the likes of 2019 Smokefree Quest winners Arlo Mac , who have already released a New Zealand top 10 hit with Ease My Mind.
“This is a fantastic concept that a not-for-profit Trust has got behind the local music scene and created an opportunity for up and coming artists to get their songs produced and on to
vinyl. We were blown away by the talent in the Bay and we believe that this is only the start of something very unique.
The competition to select musicians for the vinyl album started in October last year and the Trust then manufactured the vinyl album in partnership with Holiday Records which is owned by former Hawke’s Bay person Ben Wallace.
Musician Danica Bryant recorded her favourite song Plains of Venus which she wrote about a fictional relationship that was first thought to be perfect by unravels to become incredibly toxic.
Danica who is studying media studies at Victoria University says she put forward the song because of its uniqueness.
“I think it's really unique. It has a serious story and purpose, it carries so many different intense emotions, and yet it's still so engaging and palatable. It's everything I want to do with my music going forward.
“The song is about a fictional relationship which the narrator initially thinks is perfect, but over time, realises is incredibly toxic. As the song goes on, she starts to seek freedom, but unfortunately, like so many abusive relationships, she falls back into it because she's been trained not to see any other path for herself. I wanted it to sound like a love song at first, that starts feeling more twisted as it goes on. The listener is meant to feel just like the girl in the song and realise too late that something is very wrong.”
Holiday Records has made 300 vinyl albums which will be delivered to music industry contacts by sponsor and nationwide courier company Aramex, which is also based in Hawke’s Bay.
The album's cover was designed by local artist and DJ Michael Hawksworth, who is a lecturer at EIT Hawke’s Bay and funding for the album was secured from Lion Foundation and EIT Hawke’s Bay.
Five artists will be performing at the launch of the album at the Cabana in Napier tonight – Friday, June 11 from 8pm. The artists are Arahi, Kitty Day, Mia Jay, Cashek and the Munros.
The selected artists and their singles are:
Danica Bryant - Plains of Venus
Cashek feat Lorenzo Pradel - Ciel d ‘ Amour
Arlo Mac - Mr Entity
Lucid Hiest - Outside
Daniel Munro - Silhouette
Arahi - All that’s left to do is sleep
Mia Jay - Truth Stretching
Joe Ledword - If you knew what I know
Kitty Day - Button Blues
Zonny - Locked Out
