WorldWideSoul: Electric Wire Hustle

Electric Wire Hustle are a New Zeland based band have been together since 2006 and have just released their debut album, Every Waking Hour. The group consists of David ‘TaayNinh’ Wright (multi-instrumentalist and producer), Myele Manzanza (drums), Mara TK (vocals / guitarist / turntabilist / producer) and Benny Tones (sound engineer and producer). The band have the following description on their myspace page, which I think just about sums them up:

Developing their own sound and twist on modern hip-hop, psychedelic and soul, the music of EWH reaches forward while referencing key points of music’s past. Thick drums and percussion layered with synth lines, hints of the Fender Rhodes and nylon stringed guitars have your neck snapping while your ears crane to its soulful vocals … a future soul sound that fuses Marvin Gaye, Charles Mingus and Funkadelic with the likes of J-Dilla, PPP and Sa-Ra.

I have had the album in rotation for a few days now and I can honestly say I love each and every track, however there are a couple I’d say stand out as real highlights. ‘Again’ with it’s synth backing, and wonderfully soulful vocals is great, but too short at only 2:13. ‘Buy Some Land, Put A House On It’ is a strong contender for best track on the album, here Mara TK lays down lyrics over a hip-hop beat that reminds me a bit of Bilal on ‘For You’. Underground talent, Georgia Anne Muldrow, makes an appearance on ‘This World’, a scorcher of a track with a hook I cannot get out of my head (“this world can get no better, people got a long way to go, fussing and fighting all the time when, if we wanted we could be peaceful”).  As well as the  aforementioned appearance by Georgia Anne Muldrow there are also appearances by Stacy Epps on ‘Walk On’, Declaime (aka Dudley Perkins) makes an appearance on hip-hop stomper ‘Jupiter’ and guitarist Billy TK adds a slight rock edge to ‘Burn’.

EWH – ‘Buy Some Land, Put A House On It’

EWH – ‘This World’ feat Georgia Anne Muldrow

I was a little dubious after reading the above description where the Marvin Gaye comparsion came in, however that was answered when I got towards the end of the album. Tracks 10 and 11 (‘Burn’ and ‘Chaser’) do indeed bring to mind Marvin, in particular Mara TK’s vocal stylings and the way in which the backing vocals are laid over the lead vocals.

EWH – ‘Chaser’

This is definitely one of the most consistent, and soulful albums I have heard all year and I cannot recommend it enough. Unfortunately there is no news on if/when the album will be released in the US or the UK, but you can get a digital download here.

LINKS: Myspace, Official Website