Preservation of Scenery: The new album

ROB Ruha has definitely got some pipes and croons across the 12 tracks like a latter-day Maxwell. Thematically the album could only hail from Aotearoa though.

There are elements of protest, and there is the sadness of the

Ma¯ ori experience – a grieving for the loss of land, language and culture. Also, a tribute to prime minister Jacinda Ardern. The song Taka Rawa comes with a challenge, to embrace Ma¯ ori knowledge and take it forward into global leadership.

The album is beautifully produced and there’s some romance and seduction in there too.

‘‘Ko te oranga o te Ma¯ ori, ko to¯ na Ma¯ oritanga. Ko te whakatinanatanga mai ko to¯ na reo, ko to¯ na whakapono, ko wo¯ na maunga, ko wo¯ na awa, ko wo¯ na moana, ko wo¯ na whenua. Ko au e tu¯ atu nei, ko te ariari a ra¯ tau ma¯ , te whakapuru mauri o we¯ na¯ taonga katoa.

‘‘Ma¯ oritanga is life, you can feel it in our mountains, you can feel it in our rivers, in our song, in our art – and in our oceans and in our land. I am just a vessel for all of that beautiful essence and quintessence, an effigy of those gone before me.’’