Watch Dbldbl's Animated Video For New Single 'Hotcakes'

Based these days in Bangkok, a fresh tune from Dbldbl aka Liam Dargaville (Te Rarawa, Ngā Puhi) is a rare treat for fans to savour. The Tāmaki Makaurau rap innovator teams up with co-producer BJ Leo and animator Ross Ozarka for 'Hotcakes', Dbldbl's first new release in two years. Crunchy, imaginative beatwork and ping-ponging wordplay roasting perpetually online commenters, 'Hotcakes' gives fond props to such local notables as Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick ("she's coming through to educate"), globe-trotting compadre Zeus Dupree (L V J) plus a wink to the legend Ché-Fu.

Made with support from NZ On Air, Ross Ozarka's clip for 'Hotcakes' is as cute and charming as they come, translating Dbldbl's sizzling rhymes to our digital screens via patiently animated, hand-painted cut paper. Sporting artwork by Tim Dustow and out today via Sunreturn, Dbldbl shared the intel on how they cooked up 'Hotcakes'...

"The seed for this track was planted during the throes of lockdown when everyone was losing the plot and chronically online. The virtual air seemed thicker than ever before and hot takes from the mundane to the absurd were flying around pretty willy-nilly. The second half of Hotcakes paints a whimsical image of my own personal flavour of ‘losing my mind’ during that time. It both seems trivial and like a fever-dream thinking back to it.

I’m surprised I don’t hate it after this long. Luckily I’m a haututū (the playful, curious and tinkering kind). So it’s actually a hell of a lot different from where it began. Thematically, and unfortunately, it’s more relevant than ever. If anything I’m glad it took some time to get out the gate. Otherwise, I might not have gone the animated route, an’ I couldn’t picture it looking any other way. Ross really nailed the brief on this one. Go hire him!"

'Hotcakes' is out today on major streaming platforms via Sunreturn.