Album Review: Night Lords

Troy Kingi has just brought us his much-anticipated album Night Lords. I must admit, I’ve been beyond intrigued to see how he would pull this off as the ninth album in his 10 10 10 series – this time, a Hip Hop / R&B album.

From track one I was blown away. It opens with Hori On A Hoiho, and from the first note it doesn’t miss a beat. When talking about the opening track Kingi said this “My whanaunga from the far north goes hard on this track ‘Hori On A Hoiho’ – a song that summons ancestors and imagery of muskets and war tactics, backed by a sinister guitar/bass riff and downtempo rhythm. I couldn’t think of a better way to open the album.” This track really sets the atmosphere and vibe for the entire record.

Throughout the album there’s an undeniable groove and flow. The way Troy once again steps outside his comfort zone and delivers something that feels both effortless and complex is unreal. Even though he has switched up his genre and vibe yet again, he still somehow continues to create that iconic Troy Kingi sound.

Track two, Afters, is hard to sum up. It feels almost lo-fi with a hint of Pacifica and a handful of genius. Cold War is another stunning track with a bassline that dances elegantly throughout; lyrically it’s clever and beautifully written, the opening line leads us in with “how many wars do we have to fight, till we know who is wrong and right” – at times the album feels more like poetry, Kingi forces your attention.

No Heaven on Earth and C The Sun are also strong tracks and absolutely worth your attention.

The bonus track, Much Too Late, is, as labelled, a real bonus. It feels like the perfect way to end a masterpiece of a record – smooth, almost jazzy at times, with vocals that are full and warm.

This album was unexpected. If I’m being 100% honest, I was unsure how Kingi was going to pull this one off – but my socks were blown off. Every part of his 10 10 10 series is, for lack of a better word, mind-blowing. The way he can slide across genres while maintaining his sound, and what makes Troy Kingi unique, is seriously impressive. This is definitely an album I would recommend.