March 8 marked the release of Muroki’s new seven-track EP, ‘Timezones,’ on fellow kiwi pop sensation, Benee's, personal record label - Olive. Three years since his breakout hit ‘Wavy’ achieved platinum status, Muroki's latest release reflects a fusion of influences.
Drawing inspiration from the complexities of navigating a long-distance relationship, Muroki's tracks resonate with emotion and sonic innovation. Collaborating with producer Dave Hammer during his stint in the States, Muroki meticulously crafted a sonic journey that seamlessly weaves together diverse influences.
“I was really happy with how it came out because in the past I’ve struggled with wanting to do so many different genres, but packaging it all up is kind of tricky.”
For his new EP, Muroki says he pulled references from all kinds of artists, including the likes of Childish Gambino, Parcels and Kanye West to Chet Faker and Jimi Hendrix.
Having recently made headlines with a super smooth cover of Tame Impala’s Borderline on Triple J’s ‘Like A Version,’ Muroki says that the performance was definitely a milestone for his career.
“I've always wanted to do one of those. I've been watching Like A Version since I was about 13 or something. I think there’s only maybe two or three kiwis that have done it so I was pretty stoked.”
Receiving the call to perform just days before the show, Muroki admits feeling ‘psyched out’ as he watched pop star RAYE's rendition of a Nina Simone classic during the previous week's performance. With little time to spare, he swiftly settled on a Tame Impala track.
“I didn't really have much time to like lollygag around and I liked the song. Which I think was helpful because with these kinds of opportunities, I tend to overthink them.”
Despite his burgeoning fame and Auckland residency, Muroki still cherishes moments in Raglan for its laid-back vibe and familiar faces. He recounted a memorable experience at Laneway Festival recently, where he was inundated with hundreds of requests for photos,
“There was just like, photo after photo after photo. My poor girlfriend had to take all of them,” he said sheepishly.
The music video for 'Timezones' radiates his affection for his hometown, featuring Solscape and the charming Raglan scenery. It premiered bright and early at 6 am Friday, March 15.
“I’m quite happy it's out. It's been quite intense. I think just the nine piece band we're all learning new songs. So that was a lot of rehearsing and then mixing that with the film crew, getting all their takes, it's quite tricky.”
With a move to Berlin on the horizon, Muroki looks back on his journey having started out performing on stages like Māui Dolphin Day in Raglan some 10-15 years ago.
“You have to put in the hard yards,” he laughs.
“But what's the measure of success? I don't really know to be honest. Like for me, it's also gradual. I think for everybody else, it's like, “Whoa, he's done that.” But you know, in the background, I've just been chipping away at everything.”
While he’s taking fame and a European residency in his stride, Muroki is hoping to do a Raglan show in the near future. In the meantime, you can listen to ‘Timezones’ on all streaming platforms or watch the video EP at the link below: