Overview
In the last few months, Sony Music have shrouded in mystery their label signee MAALA, a musician whose lush first single 'Touch' took radio by storm. With a sparse kick drum/clap beat combo that develops into moody electro-pop, the song rightfully speaks for itself. Second single 'Up In The Air' recently made its debut on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show.
The media have only recently been given permission to interview the artist - 20-year-old Evan Sinton, a born and bred Aucklander who haunts a warehouse by day and focuses on his music at night. A teenage obsession with the polarising vocals of Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill has lent itself well to a brooding melancholic style, and electronic soundscapes which recalls the likes of Chet Faker and local duo Arma Del Amour.
The self-titled EP which brings MAALA out on stage at Neck of the Woods is the result of a rosy period in the studio, though it's been two years in the making as Sinton patiently developed his musical direction. The persona of the music is integral to the project, and the name MAALA was born out of the pursuit for an alter ego that also stood on its own as a strong brand. With anticipation practically boiling over, catch MAALA live before he takes off.