Former Ngatea musician Taylor Griffin has taken his sound to the streets of London, with the release of his new single Here and Now.
Featuring fellow Kiwi Sam Allen, the single captures the transition in Taylor’s life as his family shifted to East Grinstead, south of London, nearly seven months ago.
“[It’s] about new beginnings, seizing the moment and trusting your instincts,” Taylor said.
“The allegory underpinning the piece is simple: to get to where you want to be, you have to breathe in a little deeper, walk over the threshold and start living your dreams.”
Here and Now is from Taylor’s upcoming five-track EP The Dream Dancer, which is set for release in August.
The EP is a deeply personal journey through life and sound, he said.
“I began recording this EP in London in 2023 during a brief excursion from a family holiday in Italy. The five songs were written and recorded in collaboration across Ngatea, Auckland, London and Treviso (Italy) with many phenomenal musicians,” he said.
“I worked closely with producer and saxophonist Nathan Haines, who also co-produced my first EP, In Green, with me. He’s a superb and highly accomplished musician in his own right, and a true inspiration.”
Also featured on the album is a spoken-word piece from renowned American jazz and soul vocalist Marlena Shaw, woven throughout the title track Intrinsically and grounding the record’s modern energy with a timeless, classic voice.
Taylor has been making the most of his time overseas so far – his London show is set to debut on July 7 at Next Door Records in Stoke Newton, followed by a signing session at Black Gold Records in Amsterdam.
“Now that we have settled in, we are really loving it and enjoying all the opportunities that come with living near a major international city.
“London [has] a thriving music scene and connections all over Europe, both of which I intend to make the most of.
“Shout out to all the lovely people on the Hauraki Plains, especially my friends in Ngatea and Hauraki Plains College. [I’m] missing the characters, banter… and the pies.”
