Henika Touring New Album 'Strange Creatures'

Created using the uniquely local sounds of native birdsong, Aotearoa avant-pop singer / producer Henika is touring her new album Strange Creatures throughout Te Ika-a-Māui in August and September. Recorded in predator-free sanctuaries around the nation and released late last year with profits going towards local volunteer led conservation efforts, Strange Creatures encompasses soulful alt-pop, jazz, hip hop and beyond — all written around the fine-feathered sonic twist of sampled "Tui on beats, Kakapo on bass, Kokako on harmony and Korimako on melodic hooks."

Playing slide guitar, double bass and theremin along with her sampled avian friends, Henika's live show will treat gig-goers to "unusual costumes with paper mache bird heads and hear stories about her encounters with the birds while recording on Tiritiri Matangi Island." Joined by a flock of special guests on her eight date tour, Henika described the experience of recording the majority of birdsongs on Strange Creatures while spending three days on Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf...

“Getting up at 4:30am to record the dawn chorus was one of the most magical moments of my life. The whole island came alive with the most intricate song with clear ‘parts’ and patterns that already felt ‘composed.’ The song was already there, it just needed some lyrics and structure. This became the opening track.

The Tui is the ultimate beatboxer and dominates the rhythm tracks. The Korimako, with its bell-like tones, added haunting hooks. The Kokako with its long mournful tones suited layering into chords. The most difficult part to fill was in the low end until I came across some recordings of the male Kakapo ‘booming.’ This formed the bass on some of the tracks. I filled out the tracks with synths, guitars and double bass all of which I performed and recorded in my home studio.

This album has been incredibly challenging and fun to write and produce. I learned so much as I went and I feel like I really expanded my palette. It was the individual bird calls themselves that informed the writing. I let the character of each call lead where the song would go. That is how I ended up with such diverse genres that I wouldn’t normally explore. The lyrics are written from the point of view of the birds, their daily struggle for survival, trials and tribulations etc. I wanted to create empathy with listeners.

Birds are so much more than just some background ornamentation that we take for granted. They are living, breathing beings who feel just like us. They are unique, precious and vulnerable, just like us. I want listeners to stop and really listen to the birds, appreciate their beauty and hopefully care enough to do something to stop their demise because their demise is our demise. So much has already been lost. Immediate drastic action is necessary to save the remaining species. We are living in an emergency and time is running out. I want listeners to be rattled by my message. This isn’t some new age meditation album with relaxing bird tweets. It’s a call to action.” — Henika

Henika

Saturday 27th August - Nivara Lounge, Hamilton w/ Vox Venus, Ms. Take*
Sunday 28th August - Raglan Old School Arts Centre, Raglan w/ Parabola West*
Saturday 3rd September - Kumeu Live (at Kumeu Arts), Kumeu w/ Tweed*
Sunday 4th September - The Monkey House Theatre, Whitianga w/ Little Weird*
Saturday 10th September - Jam Factory, Tauranga w/ We Will Ride Fast
Sunday 11th September - The Back Room, Thames w/ Little Weird*
Saturday 17th September - ONE ONE SIX, Whangarei w/ Velvet Arrow
Saturday 24th September - The Wine Cellar, Auckland w/ Vox Venus, Isla & Good Thieves*

*Early bird tix on sale HERE via UTR

Watch Henika's video for the title track to Strange Creatures...

Press release:

Henika is an Auckland based singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer touring her latest album Strange Creatures made from native birdsong. The birds act as her band with Tui on beats, Kakapo on bass, Kokako on harmony and Korimako on melodic hooks. The genres span from altpop to jazz to hiphop, all tied together by birdsong and the message of conservation. Henika's live show is quirky, fun and colourful. She accompanies the birds with live instruments such as the slide guitar, double bass and theremin. See unusual costumes with paper mache bird heads and hear stories about her encounters with the birds while recording on Tiritiri Matangi Island.