Music Review: Aroha Harawira

  • 14/06/2016
(Paul Henry)
(Paul Henry)

This week, Aroha reviews the new track from R&B singer Usher’s eigth studio album “Flawed”.

It’s been 4 years since his last album. He released a single featuring rapper Young Thug called “No Limit” just hours before “Crash” was put out.

It’s a moody, sensual electronic track, with Usher singing in falsetto throughout. There are many similarities with his Grammy award winning hit “Climax”.

PICK OF THE WEEK: PACIFIC HEIGHTS “THE STILLNESS”

Pacific Heights is the solo project of Devin Abrahams who was one of the founding members of Shapeshifter.

Compared to Shapeshifter’s bombastic stadium sound, Pacific Heights is much more stripped back. The 2008 Pacific Heights album “In a Quiet Storm” is a favourite of Aroha’s, with lush textures, vocals from Joe Dukie of Fat Freddy’s Drop, Mara TK and Ladi6 among others.

By comparison, his third album “The Stillness” has some of the same qualities; but it’s more melancholy, calm and sparse.

TOP 5:

1. Prince ‐ The Hits / The B‐Sides

2. Adele ‐ 25

3. Ed Sheeran ‐ X: Wembley Edition

4. Beyonce ‐ Lemonade

5. Ladyhawke ‐ Wild Things