Sola Rosa is one of Kiwi music’s most volutionary and enduring acts. With seven full-length albums, four EPs, a handful of hits, countless collaborations and numerous world tours, it’s been a near 20-year labour of love for the man behind the music, Andrew Spraggon.
And although it’s punctuated with twists and turns in the form of constant change and innovation, one thing has remained the same – Spraggon’s steadfast commitment to making great albums that seamlessly blend a myriad of genres, from hip-hop and jazz, to neo-soul, latin and funk.
The Auckland-based music-maker is now poised to take the next steps in the Sola Rosa journey with an upcoming EP that sits firmly in the realms of electronic and synth. He has already given fans a taste of what’s to come with the stonking beat-heavy track ‘So Fly’, featuring British singer Kevin Mark Trail (The Streets).
Spraggon now follows that up with his latest single ‘Back To You’, which features the soulful and haunting vocals of Berlin-based Kiwi singer Noah Slee. Also featuring on the track is keyboard player Michal Martyniuk (Nathan Haines) and guitarist Dixon Nacey (Sola Rosa, King Kapisi, Tama Waipara). Final mix duties were done by Andy Morton (Fat Freddy’s Drop, Mark de Clive Lowe, Che Fu) and it was mastered by Kelly Hibbert at Almachrome (J Dilla, Aloe Blacc, Flying Lotus).
With a synth heavy undercurrent that floats along to a pulsating half-time drum and bass beat, ‘Back To You’ is yet another cracking tune, which is in keeping with Sola Rosa’s long-standing reputation of pushing further into new musical territories.