“Anticipated” would be an understatement. It’s been 4yrs since the 7-headed, South Pacific soul monster known as Fat Freddy’s Drop tore up the NZ album chart with their debut studio album Based On A True Story.  

Eventually going 8-times platinum in NZ after debuting at #1 – the first independently released NZ album to do so – & holding the top spot for 11 weeks, B.O.A.T.S. is widely regarded in NZ as a cultural phenomenon.  

Now, the Wellington, NZ-based group unleash the follow up, Dr Boondigga & The Big BW! 

2yrs in the making, this sophisticated slice of hi-tek dub-soul is 100% New Zealand Music – with detailed artwork by famed NZ artist Otis Frizzell – & features 9 tracks, spread over 70min worth of slow-burning, hypnotic future-funk born of live jams, fantastic voyages & many hours of sonic fine-tuning. 

Dr Boondigga & The Big BW mashes up the influences the band have absorbed over the course of a heavy international touring schedule – with dates throughout Europe, in the US, Australia & of course NZ – including Berlin bashment, Portuguese Top 40, Tooting Bhangra Beat & Montmartre TV shop Techno Hi-Life, into an indefinable musical stew. Flowing freely underneath it all, though, is genuine soul. 

From the D’Angelo-meets-Miles Davis vibing opener Big BW to the simply gorgeous final track, Breakthrough, each of these pieces packs more punch than should strictly be allowed. Early eyebrow-raisers for fans of Freddy’s are the shades of old-school techno in dancefloor killer Shiverman; the stealth German influence on Wild Wind; & the gorgeous, honey-coated soul of Boondigga. Those hoping for more of the group’s trademark beautiful roots reggae sound will not be disappointed either, with tracks like The Raft & The Nod delivering in spades. Rounding out Boondigga’s tracklisting are the two vinyl singles released prior to the album: Pull The Catch & the Alice Russell-fronted The Camel. 

Dr Boondigga shipped Gold on release in NZ, hitting the Platinum mark in just four days & securing the #1 spot on the NZ Album Charts for the first month of release – & counting…  

Fat Freddy’s Drop are: Joe Dukie aka Dallas Tamaira (vocals), Dobie Blaze aka Iain Gordon (keys & synth), Tony Chang aka Toby Laing (trumpet), Jetlag Johnson aka Tehimana Kerr (guitar), Hopepa aka Joe Lindsay (trombone), Fitchie aka MU aka Chris Faiumu (MPC) & introducing Chopper Reedz aka Scott Towers (saxophone).  

Guests on the album include Alice Russell, Rio Hemopo (Trinity Roots), Riki Gooch (Eru Dangerspiel), Julien Dyne & Chip Matthews (Opensouls), MC Slave, Dan Yeabsley, Kemara Fuimaono & Wild Bill Ricketts. 

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