Where to begin with Marlon Williams’ profoundly personal fourth album? Perhaps with the opening line in our review:
“Te Whare Tīwekaweka is the album we’ve all been waiting for from Marlon Williams — a stunning ode to love, life, and connection, sung entirely in te reo Māori.”
As captured in an accompanying documentary, this album meant more to Williams than any record that came before — “Williams, as you’ve never heard him before,” the headline to our print interview with him read.
Williams could have taken the easy route after the success of 2022’s chart-topping My Boy, but Te Whare Tīwekaweka represented the more ambitious and meaningful path forward.
How it paid off: Williams’ first album of original songs written and performed entirely in te reo Māori is a wonderful example of celebrating one’s heritage.
From the opening notes of “E Maweha Ana Au” onwards, Williams invites the listener on his journey of self-discovery.
Because this album may be intensely personal but it’s also for everyone; Williams didn’t hole up in a recording studio himself, after all, instead working closely with his band, the Yarra Benders, and Lyttelton artist KOMMI.
You can hear Williams’ connection to the material with every te reo lyric, the sense of a higher purpose being channelled through his art.
“His voice packs a velvet punch, rolling over breezy country-bluegrass strums and simple, pop-tinged melodies. Williams’ album is indebted to the late Hirini Melbourne’s minimalist style. Add the rich choral harmonies of He Waka Kōtuia, and these waiata hit deep — like a warm embrace that calls you home to te ao Māori,” our review continued.
“The title, which translates to ‘A Messy House’, sums up the creative chaos perfectly — it’s where Māori and non-Māori voices come together to craft something fresh…. Te Whare Tīwekaweka is a celebration of Māori culture, but it’s also for anyone looking to reflect, heal, and feel.”
Te Whare Tīwekaweka is a modern Aotearoa classic, and a reminder to always follow your spirit.