Waht Records (Mark Howden)
About Waht Records (Mark Howden) from Auckland
Waht Records is an independent music label based in Mt Eden, Auckland, NZ. Waht began in 2008 with the simultaneous release of
2 separate albums (see following album descriptions). The Waht sound is a raw blend of post-folk acoustic soul and psychedelic poprock,
the central core of which are the acoustic songs by Auckland musician Mark Howden. His minimal and understated songs are
set amongst layers of electric bass, guitar and Fender Rhodes that draw on influences such as alt-country, psychedelic and prog rock,
90’s british indie bands such as Ride, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, and The Stone Roses.
“Normally being a fan of upbeat music with the motto that there is plenty of time to “chill” when you are dead, I’m surprised to have
recently fallen for a band from New Zealand called Waht Records, the vocalist sounds somewhat similar to a young Ian Brown and the
music is a bit more psychedelic and generally acoustic but they generally put together a composition and are one of the best laid back
bands I’ve heard in a long time” - A Band a Day..jungleofjohns
"The Black Leaf" and "Dusty Rd" reviewed on elsewhere.co.nz...http://www.elsewhere.co.nz/music/1745/the-black-leaf-dusty-road-waht-records/
• September 2008 : Waht Records has had a recent podcast feature “Off the Beaten Track” produced by Liz Barry on bigpod.co.nz
(http://www.bigpod.co.nz/Default.aspxtms_id=31&tabid=56)
CD RELEASES 26 SEPTEMBER 2008:
“The Black Leaf” by The Black Leaf.
Written, recorded and mastered at the Black Leaf Studio in Mt Eden in 2007, this album really defines the early Waht Records sound.
Simply put - raw, often real-time unedited takes set against multiple layers of prestine digital audio. The Black Leaf utilised churches,
an air craft hanger and an old derelect theatre as locations to produce some of the vocal takes that, accompanied by a mix of live
and sequenced drums, guitar, bass and keys converge in Black Leaf exoticism. Chris Cudby in Review in Real Groove magazine said of ‘The Black Leaf...“INTERESTING..moving between
wah-guitar flourishes, fuzzy washes and sparkly singer-songwriter styles, Howden creates dreamy backdrops to his quiet narratives
with guitar sounds that often chime reverberantly against his moody vocals. There’s a fair amount of variety in Howden’s musical
approach, special care has been paid to the recording aesthetic, particularly to the sound quality of the guitars which are sometimes
Tibbets-like in their psychedelic treatment…Howden’s best elements, the moody vocals sound nice and mantra-like against fluid,
spikey guitar lines and gritty drums. The dirty riffage shines light on and emphasises the prettiness of Howden’s approach…The
Black Leaf’s inventive guitar work does a lot to sustain the listner’s interest throughout”.
Graham Reid (Aug 08) @ elsewhere.co.nz said...
“This album takes off from the Church/the late 80s-early 90s Paisley Underground but pulls the volume right back for elliptical, appealing,
quasi-psychedelic pop-rock with its heart firmly in post-folk.
If that sounds like a lot of loose labelling and bet-hedging I can live with it: The Black Leaf isn’t easily put in a box -- and is the better
for it”.
“Dusty Rd” by The Black Leaf.
Recorded in Morro Das Pedras, Santa Catarina, Brazil in Oct 2007 - Jan 2008. The songs on Dusty Rd are entirely acoustic using local Brazilian handmade instruments.
Graham Reid (Aug 08) @ elsewhere.co.nz said...“29 enjoyable minutes - what works is the modesty, understatement, layered musicality
and his keen ear for writing something which is coherent, in every sense of the word.”
The Black Leaf and Dusty Road are available on CD for $19.95 at Real Groovy Records, 438 Queen St, Auckland, NZ.
http://www.realgroovy.co.nz/Product/4141514/The-Black-Leaf
http://www.realgroovy.co.nz/Product/4141515/Dusty-Road
Check www/myspace.com/wahtrecords for gig and release details + general info.
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