Listen To MOKOTRON's 'THE UNITED TRIBES OF BASS' Remix Album

A revisiting and reimagining of MOKOTRON's (Ngāti Hine) back catalogue, THE UNITED TRIBES OF BASS is also a groundbreaking vision for the present and future, assembling and amplifying a new generation of Māori and Cook Island Māori electronic revolutionaries. Caru, Big Fat Raro, Akcept, Netana, Hasji, DJ Oboe, GALOLEAFI and Big Wā put their own signature spin on MOKOTRON's bass-blasting works — foregrounding the Tāmaki Makaurau-based producer's incorporation of taonga pūoro (both in studio and live) on tracks including Akcept's dubwise 'H​Ī​RERETIA RĀ' and Hasji's deeply immersive version of 'TATAU O TE PŌ'. Articulating fresh forms of sonic solidarity and cultural resistance ("Decolonize your mind / decolonize your eyes / decolonize between your thighs..."), all contributing artists are converging at Whammy Bar for THE UNITED TRIBES OF BASS release event this April. Listen up and head along...

Mokotron - The United Tribes Of Bass Release Show
featuring... Caru, Big Fat Raro, Akcept, Netana, Hasji, DJ Oboe, GALOLEAFI, Big Wā
Friday 12th April - Whammy Bar, Auckland
Tickets available HERE via UTR

"It’s been an honour to work with everyone involved, and hopefully this is just the start of something much bigger, not for me as an artist but for us as a people.

In the last month Māori electronic music has reached critical mass, thanks to Caru’s remix of TAWHITO and Lady Shaka’s new single. Mr Meaty Boy dropped their first EP, Te Manu dropped a massive puoro dub, Akcept has been shaking sound systems here and overseas with their upcoming remix, and Shaka, Rei, Aroha, Huia and Half Queen have been taking Māori electronic music to the biggest stages. It’s suddenly normal to drop Māori tunes on radio, in the clubs and at festivals.

Dropping the first single on Waitangi Day, with this particular remix, with this particular graphic, and in this political context, has created the perfect storm – this is exactly the message we need right now. Already support for the album is greater than I hoped for.

The state are busy rushing legislation through parliament to erase our language and dismantle our rights, but music can’t be erased or dismantled. We have a saying that a spear thrust can be parried, but the spear of misfortune cannot. Music is another spear that cannot be parried, blocked or dodged.

We should have called this album ‘THE UNITED TRIBES OF BASS: VOLUME 1’ as this will need to be an ongoing project". — MOKOTRON

'THE UNITED TRIBES OF BASS' is out today on major streaming platforms via Sunreturn.