In 2005, New Zealand indie band The Ruby Suns put out a (self-titled) dreamy, beautiful psych-pop album that’s been one of my favorites for years. Now they’ve finally released the follow-up: Sea Lion. The product description at Amazon is unusually accurate:
The melodic musings of “Sea Lion” found inspiration in the natural world and Ryan McPhun’s travels with in it. With a Dictaphone, he ventured into the wilds of Africa, the ancient monasteries of Thailand, and the haunting landscapes of New Zealand that surround his everyday. It was intended to be a world music album, but reverb and psychedelic pop crept in to create a unique mixture of exotic sounds, accomplished with an impressive array of instruments — from steel-string ukulele to djembe drums to pots and pans — all set upon a cozy cushion of synths and cassette samples.
Or, to put it more succinctly: it’s Yellow Submarine on sizzurp.
This song is called “Tane Mahuta.”
