Alae - Stone Cold

The sound here reminds us of Phoenix and Daft Punk with that heavy kick drum and the tiny little swing. It's like the beat just wiggles around on those 8th notes. The shift of tonality from major to minor runs parallel to the effortless feeling of groove that consistently shifts from a sparse machine beat to an all-in jazz trope and back again.

You don't think the horns will work, but in fact they are the perfect counterpoint to that heavy pulse. Alae is able to conceive a tapestry of cool and weave in the stuff of jazz, trip hop, and indie pop. The new single Stone Cold from Alae certainly delivers a soundtrack for your next glass of Pinot on the veranda.

Alae is what you get when you mix multi-instrumentalists Alex Farrell-Davey and Allister Meffan; two old high school mates who are talented musicians in their own right. Add to the mix Jayden Lee on drums and a new inspiration is born. They are an emerging, local NZ band with a world class sound that needs to be experienced to be understood.