Lost and Found: Daydreaming Photo: Supplied
Aretha Franklin - 'Day Dreaming'
From the Queen of Soul's Young, Gifted and Black that featured players such as James Brown's drummer Bernard Purdie, Donnie Hathaway, and 'fifth Beatle' Billy Preston. The latter featuring prominently in the Peter Jackson documentary opus The Beatles: Get Back.
Marley Sola - 'Lift Your Head High'
Ōtautahi artist Marley Sola with an uplifting number. The song was penned precisely for anyone finding things hard and to hold on for good things around the corner.
Luke Buda - 'Sauerkraut Bossa'
From his debut solo record 'Special Surprise', recorded before the arrival of his first child. The record is a heartfelt, sweet collection of solo material, showcasing Buda's great songwriting strength; capturing mundane domesticity in pop effervescence. A skill he displayed again in 2021 with the fantastic record, BUDA.
Japanese Breakfast - 'Be Sweet'
One of the standout releases from 2021. 'Be Sweet' channels 80s bubblegum pop, and is one of many great tracks on Japanese Breakfast's Jubilee. Not only does chief singer songwriter Michelle Zauner make great records, she’s also topped the New York Times best seller list with her memoir Crying in the H Mart.
Margaret Singana - 'Why Did You Do It?'
The South African performer dubbed 'Lady Africa' performing her version of Stretch's 'Why Did You Do It?'
The Internet - 'Special Affair'
Possibly one of the most difficult band to look up on the Internet. The act are an offshoot of the Odd Future hip hop collective that was home to Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler the Creator - acts that were once banned from entering New Zealand.
The band were last on our shores at Auckland’s Laneway Festival back 2018.
Kali Uchis - 'Body Language'
Columbian songstress and occasional collaborator with Tyler the Creator, Kali Uchis. This track has a similarly shimmering, woozy quality as Aretha Franklin's Day Dreaming, and perfect for these balmy summer nights with lashings of samba flute.
The New Loungehead - 'Cloth ft. Sulata'
Heading back to the High Street precinct of late 1990s Tamaki Makaurau, The New Loungehead melded jazz, hip hop and dance music forms, and their membership have gone on to be the essential backbone of Aotearoa music.
Upon the 25th anniversary of the band's Came a Weird Way LP, the group will be reforming in 2022.
If you like the smooth sound of Cloth, and the smoky vocals of Sulata, it is well-worth giving Came a Weird Way some time in your stereo.
HDU - Lull
Like the previous act - The New Lounghead, HDU's albums are that are really worth a revisit.
Dunedin trio HDU are best known for their intricate and crunchy soundscapes but it’s 'Lull' from their Higher ++ EP invokes an endless dream.
HAIM - 'Summer Girl'
With a giant dose of Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side', the Haim sisters have brought their own sun-soaked touch to this track. The shuffling beat and the floating saxophone will have you tapping your foot.
Also of note is Paul Thomas Anderson's film Liquorice Pizza that sees the acting debut of the youngest Haim sister, Alana, alongside Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman).
Phoebe Snow - 'I Don't Want This Night to End'
Best known for her version of 'Shakey Ground', this particular track is from her 1974 debut album. This soothing ballad showcasing Snow's rich vocals.
He Waka Kotuia - 'Huia Te Aroha'
Sparked by the purpose to keep their reo alive, Te Mahi Tamariki it was a project of He Waka Kotuia a roopu of rangatahi in Ōtepoti/Dunedin.
With the help of whanaunga Mara TK and offsider Troy Kingi a group of rangatahi created the album in wananga at their marae.
'Huia Te Aroha' is one of the outstanding tracks of the project.
Roy Ayers - 'Day Dreaming'
Roy Ayers' Ubiquity with a gorgeous and loving cover of Lost and Found's opening track, Day Dreaming by Aretha Franklin. I don't think it's possible to have too much of Roy Ayers' vibraphone.
