Riki Gooch & Alistair Fraser Share 'I Te Rā Ki Te Pō' From New Collection 'Rangatira'

Sonically adventurous Aotearoa / Te Moana Nui a Kiwa imprint Noa Records have revealed their latest crucial release will be a collaborative collection from Pōneke percussion master Riki Gooch (Ngai Tāhuhu, Ngāti Māhanga, Patuharakeke) and taonga pūoro practitioner Alistair Fraser (Pākehā). Dedicated to and recorded in meditation for their friend Eddie Tutaki, who originally introduced the pair, Rangatira presents "seven sonic vignettes formed from grief," offering listeners "contemplative rhythms and haunting breaths reverberating from their hearts, crossing realms in mourning." Releasing digitally on Wednesday 2nd September, you can open your ears the evocative first track from Rangatira 'I Te Rā Ki Te Pō' below.

Riki Gooch described the intention and feelings behind Rangatira: "It's almost like a whakanoa in a way. It was an impulse, and it was quite simple within that. During that (initial) lockdown we just thought "let's do something for Ed" and it felt like because of that intention behind it, it felt like everything we played was coming from trying to capture that visceral feeling around grief. Some of those pieces too try to capture that feeling, that finality of death. The brutal-ness of it all and the way he went. I wanted to keep it raw"

Noa Records are curating a stage at The Others Way 2020 festival on Friday 11th September, featuring Hasji, LEAO, Leda’s Dream, Schofield Strangelove and Whyfi – tickets available HERE via UTR.