Aotearoa Reggae is the fourth single from Auckland-based Groove Incorporated. The track celebrates and traces the history of reggae music in Aotearoa, New Zealand. It captures the journey from the late 1970’s Jamaican-influenced sounds embraced by Māori and Polynesian communities, the socio-political and racial justice issues it helped address during the 1980’s, through to today’s festival-driven reggae scene, enjoyed by a wide audience.
The song features classic reggae elements: a steady “one drop” beat, authentic electric-guitar and piano skanks, a grooving organ bubble, and a street-inspired lead vocal supported by rich and soulful harmonies.
The video, released last Monday to tautoko the hikoi to Parliament, has already had 18K streams on Youtube.