Son & Water Celebrate Generational Legacy with Debut Album ‘Still Burning’
Hamilton father-and-son duo, Son & Water, are keeping the musical flame alight with the release of their debut album, Still Burning.
The album, written by Son & Water frontman Daimond Porima-Ferguson (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāti Hikairo, Ngāti Hauā), is a powerful celebration of whānau, generational knowledge, whakapapa and legacy. It draws on the musical foundations passed on to him by his father and bandmate, Jamey Ferguson (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Ruapani), co-founder of iconic reggae band Katchafire.
“Everything about Still Burning comes from what my father has built through his music career and what he is now sharing with me as we embark on this haerenga together,” Porima-Ferguson says.
“The ahi, the flames he lit early in his career, are still burning through Son & Water, and we are excited to see where that ahi takes us.”
For Ferguson, making music and performing alongside his son adds a new dimension to a decades-long career, and Still Burning marks a major milestone for the duo.
“It’s been a huge blessing to share this journey with Daimond, seeing his passion and talent for creating music has made this chapter so special,” Ferguson says.
The album features nine waiata, including the recently released single Drop It Down. It moves across different sounds and styles from guitars and drums to skank rhythms while keeping the positive and uplifting wairua central to who Son & Water are.
“We’re real ‘go with the wind’ type of musicians, so the process behind the album was completely spontaneous. Still Burning is proof that Son & Water can’t be boxed into one sound or genre. We just want to create music that breaks down walls and brings people together,” Porima-Ferguson says.
The album arrives as Son & Water continue to build a strong presence across Aotearoa and beyond. Their recent Comin For You headline tour took the duo’s music to audiences around the motu and in Australia, connecting with whānau and fans while growing a large following along the way.
“We hope people connect with the album, enjoy the waiata, feel the wairua and, most importantly, that the music leads to kotahitanga, togetherness,” Porima-Ferguson says.
Made with the support of NZ On Air, Son & Water’s debut album, Still Burning, is out now on all streaming platforms.
