Auckland band SoccerPractise have been quietly attracting attention for a few years now – not just for their unsettling, witchy trip-hop/electronica or immersive live sets, but also for their use of te reo Maori in the often predominantly white, English-speaking space of alternative music.
The self-titled SoccerPractise is their first full-length release, and while it's a short-lived listen that lacks cohesion as an album, it's an illuminating debut for the band, and a promising sign of things to come.
Windfall is perhaps their most recognisable song and remains one of their best with its electrifying beat and eerie production. Haere Mai E Tama is another stand-out, with singer Geneva Alexander-Marsters' stunning te reo Maori lyrics and delivery strengthening Thom Burton's scattergun, left-of-centre production. Later, Amene allows Alexander-Marsters to show off the elasticity and power in her range, while Call Me Out is a brilliantly noisy shuffle. Despite a few road bumps, the album's strongest songs put SoccerPractise's prowess as musicians on display, and announce the band as one to keep an eye on.
