Troy Kingi Announces New Album “Black Sea Golden Ladder”

Troy Kingi announces the fifth,( “folk” ) installment, in his 1O 1O 1O Series ,(10 albums in 10 years in 10 genres)

A collaboration with award winning artist and producer Delaney Davidson, this album was written and recorded as part of the Matairangi Mahi Toi Artist Residency in Wellington – a partnership between the Governor General and Massey University that was established in 2016 to encourage and promote the development of Māori and Pasifika visual arts and creative practices. As artist in residence Troy had the opportunity to live as a guest in a cottage at Government House and also to be involved in workshops and outreach programmes with secondary & tertiary students.

Troy and Delaney speak on the project:

"This album was a collaborative effort between Delaney Davidson and I. It was relatively quick in the making. We met properly for the first time 3 days before going into song writing mode having only met briefly earlier in the year.”

I was lucky enough to receive the Matairangi Mahi Toi Artist Residency in Wellington. This would be my first time writing outside of the comfort of my beloved Kerikeri. (Troy)

“Troy and I spent 4 days out at the end of Clyde Wharf in the international residency apartment, writing non-stop. It felt like we were in the water. The songs would wash around us. I spent a few days there a week later, and could still feel it all hanging in the air. Intense to spend such intimate time together and also get to know each other. There were times we would look across the room thinking “Who is this person?” (Delaney)

The initial concept of the album was to have poetry written by Troy, with all poems speaking about different facets and stages of life that the majority of humans could identify with. Each poem would be the foundation for each song in the album. Songs that would range from birth to sleep ultimately culminating in death.

“As it turned out – my poetry wasn’t quite up to scratch and not where I wanted it to be, but we still had to create. So Delaney took it on himself to be somewhat of a shrink, digging deep into my memories, deep into my subconscious to find my own experiences of these different facets which in the end led us to this album ‘Black Sea Golden Ladder’ “ (Troy)

“Troy said he wanted these songs to be about the human experience. What is life? What are the things people unite over? The common threads that weave a life together. I started asking him what his thoughts on these times were; fatherhood, love, work, childhood etc. I was trying to get to the essence of what he thought, we always started by talking and stripping it back to get to the core of the message.” (Delaney)

The Album was written in 4 days. We gave ourselves 10 days to digest and tweak the compositions and then headed into the new Massey studio to lay the tracks over a 7-day period with Jol Mulholland. With 3 days mixing, the album took 2 weeks from seed to tree.

“It is the most personal of all my albums – the first one I feel that is truly about me.” Troy Kingi - KeriKeri, April 2021

“Call My Name” is the first track to be released from the album. The video was shot during the YAMI (Youth And Adults In the Music Industry) Summit, in Wanaka this May. Troy and Delaney performed songs from the album and took part in various workshops with the kids.

Director Lynne Christie reports being ‘stunned and staggered” by the bravery and skill set of the participants, adding that it was fantastic to see a heightened level of collaboration between students and tutors from all around the nation.

"Troy and Delaney were phenomenal - not just in their talent but their commitment to the cause and ability to see the big picture.”

Black Sea Golden Ladder

Sleep (Slumber)
Call My Name (School)
You In My Arms (Birth)
Fork in the Road (Choices)
Never Take Me Away (Love)
Hunt Down Happiness (The Meaning)
Come Around (A Father Through a Childs Eyes)
Twilight (Retirement)
Forgotten Like A Dream (Mortality)
Sea of Death (Death)
Daddy’s Comin Home (Work)
Gimme Hell (Relationships)

Troy Kingi – Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Piano, Percussion

Delaney Davidson - Guitars, Vocals, Organ, Piano, Percussion.

Marika Hodgson – Bass

Iraia Whakamoe - Drums

Dave Khan - Strings

James Coyle - Organ

Ryan Pebble - Percussion

Leo Coghini- Piano on “Sleep”

Jol Mulholland - Classic riff on You in My Arms

Mark Russell – Finger of Death on Hunt Down Happiness

All songs Davidson/Kingi, except “Call My Name”- Davidson/Kingi/Kingi,

and “Forgotten Like A Dream”- Kingi.

Produced by Delaney Davidson

Engineered by Jol Mulholland

Assistant Engineer: Ryan Prebble

Studio Coordinator: James Coyle

Technical Lead: Mike Gibson

Black Sea Golden Ladder - Out June 18th - CD / LP through Border and available on all digital platforms.

Sarah Leota