A true drifter, Tim Guy has always enjoyed writing on the run. His previous two albums were written during moves to Melbourne (2004’s Blazey) and then Auckland (2007’s Hummabyes), and established him as a talented songwriter with a slanted and romantic perspective. As if he could only develop further by moving farther, a shift to Barcelona for five months remarkably inspired an improvement in his writing. Deep and dreamy, the songs from this period make up the bulk of Big World, which was recorded when Tim returned to Auckland and co-produced the album at home throughout 2009 with his then-housemate Jeremy Toy (Opensouls) on bass, keys, and additional guitars. Mixed by Jol Mulholland (the Checks, Motocade) and mastered by Dave Cooley (the Polyphonic Spree, Serge Gainsbourg), Big World’s foundation is solid: drums (Julien Dyne) and bass glow in the dusk with a countrified-R&B feel like Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac or Big Pink Band, a bliss-bath of woozy Wurlitzers and aqueous Rhodes conjure silvery nights and blue mornings, and guitars like satellites dart across darkling skies.

These primary parts give Big World the satisfyingly thick texture of classic rock, and are what’s most noticeable and familiar about the album’s sleek surfaces. But they don’t wholly account for the music’s deepness. Emotional complexity occurs where classic poptimistic weft is warped with distantly murmuring synth-storms and feedback-clouds that evoke an individual trying to measure his own (in-)significance. These moments, such as the stoic refrain of “holding on… holding on,” amid washes of dissonant feedback and cascading glockenspiel in ‘70 Angels’, hint at a swamping randomness in the world, but their musical expression is extremely controlled: adult composure never gives way to despairing emotionalism, and the balance is bewitching.

But for all its instinctual (and never intellectual) foraging for answers, Big World is an exquisitely tuneful pop album that simply urges singing-along to. With backing vocals by Ben King (Goldenhorse), the relaxed groove and four playful key changes of ‘Love Pie’ recall Tim’s own recent contribution of ‘Love Turns Wild’ to the Motown-inspired Open Souls record (Standing in the Rain), and in terms of heart-swelling excitement, the memory-rush of ‘Rhythm of the River’ is perhaps surpassed only by the whirling heights that ‘Beatle’ reaches.

Musically luscious and lyrically illuminating, ‘Beatle’ defines the artistic growth necessary to making this, Tim’s third and best album. Instead of being a worshipful hat-tip to the Fab Four, it is a sobering reproof to the idleness of too much dreaming, which only leaves one “stuck in the ground.” The seriousness of this challenge to shape up is illustrated by violins that elevate and redouble the wake-up call: “You could live your life a Beatle… walk in somebody’s footsteps; [but] it’s dangerous to.” Taken as a self-reproach to find his own voice, it’s remarkable that Tim achieves his aim by the first gorgeous chorus. With a sharper sense of identity, he gains the confidence to make an album that should surprise anyone paying attention. It’s also a way of looking at and moving on from the past, which explains why, despite its childlike openness and interest in the world, this is not a nostalgic album. Why go backwards when, as Tim says himself, “It just gets better… It’s coming up”?

Niko Ne Zna are New Zealand’s very own Balkan Gypsy brass extravaganza. Formed in Wellington five years ago, the band has been stunning audiences ever since with their exuberant, dynamic performances.

Comprising trumpet, saxophone, accordion, trombone, sousaphone, drums and percussion, Niko Ne Zna are a truly authentic ensemble. They can roam while playing, and enchant the audience into dancing, singing, clapping and stomping all night long. The band consists of some of Wellington’s finest instrumentalists who come from a wide array of musical backgrounds that unite together to produce a cocktail that will make your ears rise to attention and your feet move in a frenzy. Their music is high energy with dark undertones and sexy gypsy style. Niko Ne Zna are a world class act with exotic tunes, fantastic grooves and exciting solos.

The band have played extensively in Wellington with performances at The Wellington Fringe Festival, International Jazz Festival, Cuba Street Carnival, Wellington Summer City Festival to name a few and have been a staple of the Wellington music scene with regular performances all over city. Recently they undertook their first national tour to promote the release of their debut ep.

SUMONE PRODUCTIONS presents the epic music video for Polkapocalyptic featuring The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band. Filmed in Berlin 2009. Written produced and directed by Nathan Taare and Dylan Bakker. Music from The Benkas debut album ‘Polkapocalypse‘.

A psychedelic Afro-Soul explosion in 12 parts, The Hot Grits cover the stylistic ground between deep Funk, Soul and Afrobeat. From Meters-style struts superfast deep funk assaults to churning Afrobeat Soul. This music is designed to hit you in your soul, your face and your dancing equipment. My Rites is the third single (and video) from The Hot Grits’ debut album ‘It’s Too Drunk To Be This Early‘.

‘Too Drunk to F**k’ is the second single to be released from The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band’s debut album ‘Polkapocalypse’ and is their version of the much loved Dead Kennedy’s song.

Hailing from the slums and ghettos of Auckland, New Zealand (the Prague of the South), The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band bring their unique brand of highly theatrically East-European Apocalyptic Debauchery to those in need, wherever they may be. At a live performance one can expect spontaneous combustion in the audience, clothes thrown off in frivolous rampage, macabre stories, legs turning into snakes, much musical and physical inebriation, and dancing, dancing, dancing…
Having just returned from neing based in Berlin for five months, the band will be returning to NZ in December for an epic 30 date ‘Gypsy Fever’ summer tour before touring Australia and Europe in 2010 to promote the release of their album in those territories.

Their previous music video for the song ‘Dance of Death’ stayed in the top 5 most watched videos for over a year on NZ music website Amplifier.

The live segments in this clip were filmed during a frenzied Gypsy Fever gig at the Kings Arms in May 2009.

Director Campbell Farquhar has been working as a freelance editor since he left film school. He’s worked on TV programmes, short films and three digital feature films. he also makes his own films, mostly abstract experimental pieces featuring animation, dance and explorations of movement. This is his third music video.

In early 2008, The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band officially released their first ep, Danse Macabre. Since then they have been busy whipping audiences into frenzies with their crazed gypsy/east European sounds performing at Prana, Jambalaya, Parihaka, AK09, Cross St Carnival, Fleetwaters and Splore Festivals as well as undertaking three highly successful national tours which saw them playing to packed houses all over the country. During this time, the Benkas have also supported many popular NZ acts including The Hot Grits, The Mamaku Project, An Emerald City and The Jews Brothers and in March 2008 they had the honour of supporting international act Beirut in Auckland.

Polkapocalypse features four original songs, four traditionals and 2 covers by the Tiger Lillies and Dead Kennedys. Three of the tracks were recorded live by acclaimed engineer Andre Upston for Radio New Zealand at the Monkey Magic launch at Galatos, Auckland in May 2008. The other seven were recorded by Jamie Newman aka Cinema 90 at a remote studio north of Auckland over three hot steamy days in March this year.

Following release shows in Wellington and Auckland, the band are spreading the chaos further, heading Europe-wards to be based in Berlin from the end of May onwards… World Domination is just around the corner… The brothels shall be the parliament, the Graveyards the Houses of Commons…. a new era is upon us…

Review for Polkapocalypse

With a sound based around accordion, clarinet, electric guitar, and lashings of laughs (they do a beautifully inebriated cover of the Dead Kennedy’s Too Drunk To F***), Polkapocalypse is theatrical, rebellious and fun party music.
NZ Herald

Imagine Spike Milligan jamming with gypsies over a crate of vodka. That’s a vague approximation that really does the manic appeal of Polkapocalypse a disservice. The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band (from Auckland) marry whimsical traditional eastern European arrangements with the type of macabre, obscure and amusing lyricism that will either impress or repulse. Scare your neighbours, frighten the kids, and petrify the pets with a high-volume dose of Polkapocalypse. Bizarre Balkan beats, ruthless Russky rhythms and a Dead Kennedys cover.
Otago Daily Times

The Polkapocalypse is nigh!

In April 2008, The Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band officially released their first ep, Danse Macabre. Since then they have been busy whipping audiences around NZ into frenzies with their crazed gypsy/east European sounds performing at Prana, Jambalaya, Parihaka, AK09, Cross St Carnival, Fleetwaters and Splore as well as undertaking three highly successful national tours which saw them playing to packed houses all over the country. During this time, the Benkas have also supported many popular NZ acts including The Hot Grits, The Mamaku Project, An Emerald City and The Jews Brothers and in March 2008 they had the honour of supporting international act Beirut in Auckland. Danse Macabre stayed in the IMNZ top 40 for several months and the video for the single, The Dance of Death, has been in the top five most watched videos on Amplifier for the better part of a year.

On May 11th, 2009 they released their highly anticipated album ‘Polkapocalypse’ followed by one final sold out show in Auckland before the band took flight for Berlin where they will be based for the next six months. Upon their return they will be touring NZ again over summer  2009-10 and playing several major festivals.

The new album fully captures the unique and thrilling experience that is a Benka performance and contains 3 originals, 5 traditional songs and two covers (The Crack of Doom by the Tiger Lillles and Too Drunk To F**k by The Dead Kennedys). Seven of the songs were recorded at Balckbridge Studios by Jamie Newman during a hot, steamy weekend in March and three are sizzling live recordings made by Andre Upston for Radio New Zealand at the Monkey Magic launch at Glatos in May last year. A music video for ‘Too Drunk to F**k’ will be released late May.

Review

With a sound based around accordion, clarinet, electric guitar, and lashings of laughs (they do a beautifully inebriated cover of the Dead Kennedy’s Too Drunk To F***), Polkapocalypse is theatrical, rebellious and fun party music.
NZ Herald

The Hot Grits is putting the party back into political party with their new video for the bFM chart topping single ‘The Ballad of Joe Stalin’ from their debut album ‘It’s too Drunk to be this Early’. The video takes the form of a party political broadcast and the Grits look certain to breathe a bit of fresh air into what has so far been a rather dull election campaign.

While their policies are yet to be announced, an idea of their political agenda can be gleaned from the video as the ministerial portfolios of the band members are revealed. Just exactly what the Minister of Kittens is responsible for is anyone’s guess, let alone the Minister of Spring Break but it can be guaranteed if the Hot Grits come into power there will definitely be changes in how this country is run.

The video was shot on a Sunday afternoon outside the Beehive after a highly successful gig/political rally at the San Francisco Bathhouse in Wellington the night before. After being turned down twice for permission to film the video on parliament grounds the Grits tried to set up there anyway but were repelled by several rather large security guards, eventually filming just outside parliament under the watchful eye of security personnel and police. It would seem that the government is justifiably afraid of this popular new party and will do anything they can to stop them.

The music video for the Hot Grits song ‘Headlights’ won the Radio Active ‘Handle the Jandal’  award for best non-funded video recently in Wellington, despite holding the distinction of being the first video to be banned by TVNZ since 1987.

Radio Active 89FM’s Handle the Jandal is an annual competition for local Do-It-Yourself  music video. All videos must be completely self-funded and may only use New Zealand music. A record 122 entries were submitted for the awards this year, with fifteen being chosen for the finals.

The video for ‘Headlights’ was produced by The Downlow Concept and features children drinking milk and going out on the town, behaviour which TVNZ apparently took issue with. Unsurprisingly, the clip also won an award for Best Exploitative tactics.

‘Headlights’ is the Auckland based 11 piece afro-soul band’s first ever video. The song features on their debut album ‘It’s too Drunk to be this Early’, released on Monkey Records.

The artist, Meera Raghu, was spiritually inspired after listening to divine melodious songs called Arka Geetha, composed by Srinivas Arka, a renowned philosopher, author, inspirational speaker, developer of meditation method called Arka Dhyana and founder of global spiritual organisation Centre for Conscious Awareness. Being a musician and Veena artist, Meera, through her inspirational experience, selected some of the songs of Arka Geetha, which are based on Lord Ganesha and the Philosophy of Life, and created musical notation for rendering them on the Veena. Meera enthusiastically worked on the songs and recorded them with Tabla player Basant Madhur and Nigel Braddock of Monkey Records at his recording studio in Auckland in May 2005. To her amazement, the whole recording went off well, continuously and smoothly, without any obstacles like retake or editing. This was an extraordinarily unique experience for the artistes. This CD album is really special as the songs have been presented to this world by Divine guidance through the musical instruments of the artists.

The Artist: Meera RaghuMeera is a musician proficient in South Indian classical music called Carnatic Music, and in the art of Veena playing. Veena is a very ancient musical instrument and is used mainly in Carnatic Music. She has given many performances in India and overseas, mainly New Zealand, having lived in Auckland for more than a decade.Meera has a Masters’ degree in Physics and post-graduate diploma in Computer Science. She has been working in the computer field in the areas of training and software development in India & New Zealand.She had been imparting training in Veena playing to students and guiding them for music examinations conducted in Auckland. She was also invited to be an examiner for the Carnatic music examinations held in Auckland and Melbourne, conducted in affiliation with Academy of Fine Arts, London. Meera has obtained training in Arka Dhyana, a fine-tuned intuitive meditation method and specialized in it through workshops in the UK and India. She also imparts training in Arka Dhyana. Please visit the following websites for more information: www.srinivasarka.org, www.arkadhyana.org, www.centreforconsciousawareness.org, www.srinivasarka.com/store.