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Solaa are a collective from Christchurch on the South Island. They have been going in various forms since 1997, so their fans will tell you this album has been a long time coming.

While Fat Freddy’s Drop and Rhombus are the leaders in Kiwi reggae, Solaa mix up hip hop, nu-jazz, funk, soul, R&B, Latin and breaks to produce a varied but fundamentally soulful album.

It wouldn’t at all surprise me if one of these tracks like ‘Eyes Shut’ or ‘Keep On’ should turn up on a future Mr. Scruff compilation.

The tracks that feature MC USOuljah sound very Gym Class Heroes influenced with that live sound; now if GCH had a vocalist as good as Hollie Smith or Nat Rose in the group… ‘Oneness’ (with Ladi6) is in a similar style with synths and guitar leading the way.

There are enough jazz influences in here to keep me happy, like the guitar solo on ‘Soulution’ and the stand out hip hoppin’ jazz funker ‘Pharoah’. It’s all about the wah wah guitar, Fender rhodes and the sax solo on that one while ‘Ain’tnothing’ is a period piece from the Tribe called De La Soul era; perhaps the only hip hop track to big up Sir Richard Hadley? Fair play though and that’s some mean bass wobble at the end.

It might take a while for artists to make their way to us at Fly, but hopefully it won’t take Solaa another nine years before we get a follow up.

Hectic Mix nominations: ‘Pharoah’, ‘Ain’tnothing’, ‘Keep On’, ‘Soulution’

Reviewed: Solaa — Steps In Time (Sugar Licks) Cat. No. SUGERCD012 Release date: 2006
01 Ain’t Nothing feat. Hollie Smith and USOuljah
02 Oneness feat. Ladi6
03 Pharoah feat USOuljah
04 Aintnothing
05 Eyes Shut featuring Nat Rose and USOuljah
06 Keep On Listen feat. Hollie Smith
07 Soulution feat Cherie Mathieson
08 Steps in Time
09 Sunrise to Sunset
10 Sylphlike feat. Ladi6

Solaa are:
Isaac Aesili — Trumpet/Vocals
Kurt Dyer — Percussion
USOuljah — MC
Nat Rose — Vocals
David Wright — Keyboards
Johnny Lawrence — Bass
Nick Gaffaney — Drums
Simon Lusby — Guitar
Scott Taitoko — Trombone
Richie Pickard — Bass
Ali Toto — Turntables
Gwyn Reynolds — Saxophone

Links:
www.solaa.com