
The Spirit of Song Project: Songs Of Hope
By Mark Laurent
"They say it's all about the process, not the destination..." says AJ Hickling (aka The SOS Project). He ought to know. This album was recorded over five years, in locations all round the country, using AJ's mobile studio in the back of his van. On some tracks he plays all the instruments - drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals - and on others he's helped by a bunch of his musical whanau, sharing a passion for reggae and transcendental soul, morphing skanks and slap-back delays. Considering the DIY approach, the production's very creditable. There are some good grooves here; nods to TrinityRoots and Nimbin anthems of the '80s. Titles like Miracle, Aroha, Corporate Nation, and Knowing prove the hippie dream is alive and well in Aotearoa. Some might find the lyrics a little 'new age' religious, and AJ has a tendency to sing with 'rasta-man' affectation, but it's refreshing to find good music that's short on cynicism and long on hope.
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The Spirit of Song Project