Single Review: Waiting for Sunrise

Raw Collective are the snowball of a ten-piece whose name gathers interest with each turn. The Wellington Hip-Hop collective spent the past few years bring their music to the world through headlining tours and festivals in New Zealand and overseas. Following the dramatic success of their two 2018 albums, they have returned to Aotearoa to wind up for new projects.

Raw Collective’s latest single Waiting for Sunrise is optimistic and impressive. The track rolls jazz keys, smooth brass/ woodwind and a killer groove into the first 20 seconds; it’s gripping from bar one. The rap is conversational; you’ll find yourself listening to every word like it’s your mate chatting about his weekend. The chorus refreshes the ear with male and female vocals. The female vocalist take the mic for a smooth verse two. Raw Collective captures the hope and ethereal quality of the sun rising with expertise.

When Raw Deazy (emcee and producer) listens to the Waiting for Sunrise he is reminded of a festival they played years ago. The tents were drenched by sudden horizontal rain, and the group found themselves huddled around a gas cooker in a campervan mourning their New Year’s Eve. At last the clouds cleared and “people were honking their horns, standing on the roofs, cheering the sun’s arrival.” He’d never had such a “holy, godlike experience”.

Raw Collective are an impressive group of musicians whose product is musical and fun. If you enjoyed Waiting for Sunrise then you’ll be glad to hear that there’s more where that came from with a 2021 album in the works. The anticipation for the February release is another reason we can’t wait for 2020 to end.