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If there is one form of popular music that could be called “indigenous” to New Zealand, it would be reggae and dub. It links closely to to our landscape and has played a strong role in the expression of (particularly Maori) political views over the past three decades.

For many of us, a kiwi summer wouldn’t be complete without a road trip to a music festival, somewhere by a beach, with entertainment provided by any number of local reggae and dub acts. Sun, skank and shared substance.

But enough superlatives. TrinityRoots released just two albums in their career, and I’ve selected one song from each.

Just Like You has a particular story behind it – it was recorded around a campfire (that’s the crackling you can hear) on a farm in the middle of the North Island – late in the evening of 11th September, 2001 New Zealand time. Just a few hours before the terrible events that unfolded on the East Coast of the United States.

Fat Freddy’s Drop – Midnight Marauders
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Roady
From Live at WOMAD 2003 [Bootleg!]

Aotearoa. New Zealand. There’s 4 million of us at the bottom of the world, and some of us even play music.

So I’ll share a few examples of what we kiwis get up to when we get down. Wellington band Fat Freddy’s Drop has been around for almost five years. Reggae. Hip-Hop. Jazz. Dub. Dancehall. It’s all in their mix somewhere. Although they’ve just released their first full-length album this month, I’ve chosen a genuine (so-rare-I-know-everyone-who-has-a-copy) bootleg of their March 2003 gig at WOMAD in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

A perfect time-capsule of a great day out in the sun. If you want to hear more, listen to Gilles Peterson’s BBC show online, or buy their album Based on a True Story online.

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra – Moments in Heaven
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra – 花ふぶき～愛だろ、愛っ。～

From Best (1989-1997): Epic Records ESCL 2333 [Buy]

Another discovery from my trip to Japan last year. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. The name says it all really. They play everything from ska “standards” like Caravan through to funk with Bernard Purdie and the Sesame Street theme. They’ve been doing it since 1985, perform all around the world, have their own Wikipedia entry and sound like they’re still having the time of their lives.