Listen To Troy Kingi's New Album 'Leatherman & The Mojave Green'

One the most acclaimed and ambitious Aotearoa artists of his generation, Troy Kingi (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) today unveils the eighth instalment of his decade long journey in sound, the ten part 10 10 10 Series ("10 albums in 10 genres in 10 years"). Leatherman & the Mojave Green reignites Kingi's formative love for the deep-fried desert / stoner rock of US guitar-slingers Queens Of The Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, The Mojave Lords and more, laid down in the sunbaked setting of Joshua Tree, California's Rancho de la Luna studio. The record's creation was documented in the four part series Troy Kingi's Desert Hikoi (watch HERE), recorded with Ezra Simons (Earth Tongue), Treye Liu, Marika Hodgson and producer / longterm creative partner in crime TeMatera Smith.

Troy Kingi's in-the-red new direction suits the sonic travelling artist even better than expected, getting hugely fuzzed-out and crunchy over a suitably mammoth-scale seventeen tracks. In true Desert Sessions spirit, Kingi sounds free to roam on the new record. 'Mezcal Eye Drop' could be mid-eighties California mutant hardcore punk, Kingi's mellifluous soulful croon swerves into Steely Dan-like zones while engaging in the heavy riff worship of 'Cash Flow', and the Tex-Mex Americana of 'Geronimo' inspires visions of the actor / musician starring in his own psychedelic western. Elsewhere the guitar-shredding desert / doom metal agenda is unmistakable. Kingi is joined by Simons' vocal yowls on the scorching 'Momentary Lapse of Deflation', he sings "Into the unknown / Enter it alone" on rattlesnake-infested hefty groover 'Hot Medicine', and clocking in at nearly ten minutes, 'Halfway To Mexico' is a triumphant rockin' journey, shapeshifting into something even more mystical halfway through.

As became clear to these ears while witnessing his Year of The Ratbags and Their Musty Theme Songs album launch party in late '22, whichever style Kingi tackles, his songs are always Kingi to the core. Leatherman & the Mojave Green could well be the multi award-winning artist's finest to date — dive in and head along to Troy Kingi and The Cactus Handshake's nationwide release tour, starting early September...

Troy Kingi and The Cactus Handshake - Leatherman & the Mojave Green Nationwide Tour
with special guests

Thursday 5th September - Double Whammy!, Auckland [new show]
Friday 6th September - Double Whammy!, Auckland [sold out]
Saturday 7th September - Butter Factory, Whangarei
Sunday 8th September - Upsurge Festival, Turner Centre, Kerikeri [sold out]
Wednesday 11th September - Māoriland Hub, Ōtaki [new show]
Thursday 12th September - San Fran, Wellington [sold out]
Friday 13th September - Errick’s, Dunedin
Saturday 14th September - Loons, Christchurch [sold out]
Thursday 19th September - Totara St, Tauranga
Friday 20th September - Last Place, Hamilton [sold out]
Saturday 21st September - Cabana, Napier
Sunday 22nd September - Smash Palace, Gisborne

Ticket info at www.troykingi.com

'Leatherman & the Mojave Green' is out today digitally, on compact disc and on vinyl LP via AllGood Absolute Alternative Records (AAARecords) / Border.