Creating an evolving infusion of funk, beats, electronic, jazz and soul has been the 20-plus year labour of love for this Auckland-based solo artist, who has produced a wealth of recordings since launching as an experimental recording project in 1999.
While funk and soul may be the driving force behind Spraggon’s sound, his musical influences incorporate a myriad of genres. Beginning with the laid back instrumentalism of debut EP Entrance To Skyway (2000), debut long player Solarized (2001) and Haunted Out-Takes (2003), Spraggon flipped the script and embraced collaboration for 2005’s aptly named Moves On. Living by his mantra of “If you want to sound better, you have to work with other people”, Moves On’s inclusion of guest vocalists and musicians on this release underpinned the way forward, paving the way for a remarkable list of collaborators who’ve all added their own magic to the Sola Rosa sound over the years.
World tours, Festival circuits and a collection of EP’s and remix albums later, including 2009’s hit album Get It Together, the funk-infused Low and Behold, High and Beyond (2012), the synth and beats focussed Magnetics (2014), and follow-up EP In Spaces (2018) have seen Spraggon push the Sola Rosa sound further into international waters, mirroring his desire to continually grow, experiment and connect to the world of music makers.
Sola Rosa’s history is littered with Number 1 releases, awards and critical acclaim in his home country of New Zealand, with accolades spanning over a decade. Highlights include a Number 1 album on iTunes and the IMZN Music Charts, multiple bNet and VNZMA nominations and awards for Best Electronica Album, Best Independent Release, Best Producer and Best Dance/Electronic Album.
Spraggon now prepares to begin his next musical chapter with the release of new long player, Chasing The Sun. Five years in the making, and honed to perfection, the album includes a heavy hitting line-up of vocalists, including regular collaborator and Streets singer, Kevin Mark Trail, Basement Jaxx’ long term collaborator Sharlene Hector and genre-defying, rising UK reggae star Kiko Bun. Other collaborators include London singer/songwriter Josh Barry, London’s eclectic Neo-Soul singer Jerome Thomas, British reggae and dub MC vocalist Eva Lazarus plus up and coming Australian artist Thandi Phoenix. Closer to home, ex-pat Kiwi vocalist Wallace and Aotearoa’s own musical maverick, Troy Kingi add their talents to the mix.
On the musical tip, Spraggon is aided by Jeremy Toy (Guitar), Julien Dyne (Drums/Percussion), Lewis McCallum (Brass/Wind/Keys) and long term Rosa band members Dixon Nacey (Guitar), Matt Short (Bass) and Peter Leupolo (Keyboards), who, along with a further collection of kiwi musicians, contribute the live-recorded instrumentation to the album.
Chasing The Sun is a perfectly produced and executed journey through the universe of soul, funk and everywhere in between. Album releases Spring 2020.
Get It Together
Sola Rosa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
fought the cause of life now
keeping it intact until
shit hit the fan
so i took my heart out right
and played with others plans at night
i'm tagging me out
trying it on my own for now
can we get it together x4
your be blaming me
if your screwing leave
cos that's not my vibe
the forts compromised
can we get it together x2
so i set off to kill the sound
to silence the noise that was so loud
flip it from chaos to a sweet sweet sound
if you're wondering baby
this ain't about you it's about everything
going on in my mind
i'm needing to flip
the negative to a positive
can we get it together x4
your be blaming me
if your screwing leave
cos that's not my vibe
the forts compromised
The lyrics from Sola Rosa's song Get It Together talk about a personal journey towards self-discovery and improvement. The first verse describes a process of leaving behind old ways of doing things that no longer serve the individual. The "cause of life" might refer to conforming to societal expectations or living in a way that is not authentic. When things get tough, the singer realizes that their heart is not in it, and decides to try something new. The chorus "can we get it together" suggests that there is a desire for bringing harmony and unity to the situation. The repetition of this line emphasizes the theme of working towards a common goal.
The second verse talks about the process of self-improvement. The first step for the singer is to eliminate the noise and chaos from their life to create a quiet space to think. The phrase "if you're wondering baby, this ain't about you" clarifies that the changes being made are personal and not about external factors. The line "I'm needing to flip the negative to a positive" shows a determination to change one's mindset and perspective towards the world. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that despite the challenges, the singer desires harmony and unity.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that the song is about taking control of one's own life, leaving behind what no longer serves and working towards a positive future.
Line by Line Meaning
i dreamt of this a longtime
I have been thinking about this for a long time, and it is something that I have always dreamed of.
fought the cause of life now
I have been fighting for the value and sanctity of life.
keeping it intact until
I have been trying to maintain and protect my beliefs up until now.
shit hit the fan
Things got really difficult and out of control.
so i took my heart out right
I decided to take a risk and follow my heart.
and played with others plans at night
I looked at other people's plans and ideas in the hopes of incorporating them into my own.
i'm tagging me out
I am stepping back and taking a break from other people's ideas.
trying it on my own for now
I am trying to do things independently for the time being.
can we get it together x4
Let's work together to make things better.
your be blaming me
You might be inclined to blame me for things.
if your screwing leave
If you are messing things up, please leave.
cos that's not my vibe
That kind of energy does not align with me.
the forts compromised
Our defenses and plans may have been weakened or disrupted.
so i set off to kill the sound
I began to actively work towards getting rid of the noise and chaos in my life.
to silence the noise that was so loud
I wanted to quiet the distractions and negative influences around me.
flip it from chaos to a sweet sweet sound
I wanted to turn the chaos into a more positive and pleasant situation.
if you're wondering baby
If you are curious about what I am doing.
this ain't about you it's about everything
This is not just about you, but rather it is about everything going on around me.
going on in my mind
These are my personal thoughts and feelings.
i'm needing to flip
I need to change the way I view and approach things.
the negative to a positive
I need to turn negative situations into positive ones.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KAUTAU TAU MANUKIA, MATTHEW WILLIAM SHORT, ANDREW JOHN SPRAGGON, BENJAMIN DAVID WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind