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MALI MALI: Mali Mali

Here is an Auckland-based group featuring Ben Tolich (vocals, guitar, keys), Peter Reid (guitar, backing vocals), Simon Lethwaite (bass), Swap Gomez (drums) and Andrew Madjar (guitar, keys). I had never heard of Mali Mali but two minutes into their debut, self-funded EP, I was pleasantly surprised. There have been suggestions the band sound like Radiohead and Sigur Ros; well, they don’t quite get to those levels. But there’s time. Currently, and I mean this as a compliment, there are traces of Coldplay and Keane; not favourite bands of mine, but still, at the right time they have a grace to their melodies. And that’s what Mali Mali has. Time spent working on songs and gigging will see them get closer to the kind of sounds they clearly desire. And with half a dozen songs here there’s enough to sink your teeth in to while the band works on some mystery and intrigue next time round.

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