Beats + Pieces Vol. 77

Samantha Crain, Toni Huata, Radio Active FM, Test Pressing, etc

Selected Works is a weekly (usually) newsletter by the Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand) based freelance music journalist, broadcaster, copywriter and sometimes DJ Martyn Pepperell, aka Yours Truly. Most weeks, Selected Works consists of a recap of what I’ve been doing lately and some of what I’ve been listening to and reading, paired with film photographs I’ve taken + some bonuses. All of that said, sometimes, it takes completely different forms.

WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING:

With 'Gumshoe,' Samantha Crain Examines the Mysteries of Interpersonal Relationships

Growing up in Oklahoma, Choctaw singer-songwriter Samantha Crain found solace and calm in mid-20th-century film noir, Westerns, and Broderbund Software, Inc.’s cult Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? media franchise. Along the way, she developed a soft spot for the vernacular term for a private detective, “gumshoe.”

Two decades later, she realised it was the perfect title for her seventh solo album. My interview with Samantha is live on the US country/folk website The Bluegrass Situation now. You can read it here.

Toni Huata Remembered – Oho Mai Koe

On 10 February 2025, news broke about the passing of Māori singer-songwriter, performer, director, and producer Toni Huata. During her lifetime, she released seven albums that effortlessly connected her deep commitment to te ao Māori and te reo Māori with her love and passion for jazz, soul, R&B, opera and an equally diverse array of styles of modern electronic music: downbeat, jazzy jungle/drum and bass, trance, house and beyond. Through and through, she was a lover of music and culture who served as a living bridge between worlds.

This week on Audio Culture, we paid tribute to Toni by publishing a series of memories of her from twelve of her friends and collaborators. You can read the story here.

Radio Active FM:

Over the next week, I’m going to be broadcasting twice on Wellington’s Radio Active FM. Today, I’ll be DJing on air from 1-4 PM. Expect a mixture of New Zealand soul, RnB, house, techno, IDM, downbeat and Jungle. On Monday night, I’ll be hosting the Te Ao Tech show from 7-9 PM. Again, expect a lot of music from Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu. You’ll be able to tune in online here.

TEST PRESSING:

Last week, I was very pleased to see the Peckham-based, New Zealand producer-DJ brother duo Ben and Louis Helliker-Hales aka Chaos In The CBD, finally release their debut album, "A Deeper Life." Fifteen years ago, I interviewed the brothers for the first time for the now-defunct and regionally legendary New Zealand music magazine, Rip It Up. At the time, having emerged out of the blog house era, before doing backwards-looking deep dives into the history of the French Touch scene and foundational Chicago House, they were on the verge of taking their sun-kissed Antipodean house sound to the world. My review of their album is live on Test Pressing now.

During the first half of 2023, the Japanese-New Zealand composer, pianist, producer and DJ Mark de Clive-Lowe spent four months travelling through Japan on a deeply personal journey. The reason for this extended foray to the Land of the Rising Sun was to retrace a series of moments from the twenty years his late New Zealand-born father, Robin de Clive-Lowe, spent living and working in Japan between 1953 and 1973. Along the way, Mark found his memories of, as he put it, "an overbearingly strict, conservative man," melting away as he discovered another side of Robin. "A young man so open-hearted, open-minded and open-spirited, with a zest for life and unbridled sense of adventure." My review of Mark’s new album, past present (tone poems across time) is live on Test Pressing now.

LISTENING PARTIES:

A couple of months ago, I suggested to the Wellington jazz/techno composer, producer, percussionist and DJ Cory Champion that it might be a good idea to do a pre-release listening party for his Clear Path Ensemble album. Turns out it was a good idea. Thanks to Vogelmorn for hosting us and everyone who came through on the night. It was really lovely to see a group of people engage with the concept of collective listening again in such a meaningful way. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do some more of these. Black Sand by Clear Path Ensemble is out now.

WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:

Efficient Space expands the Ghost Riders’ cinematic universe with a 4-track of archival 1970s material from teenage New York music prodigy Dennis Harte.

Wilson Tanner are back at it.

FIN.