Dawn Diver shares "Thirsty Critters”
“Thirsty Critters”, offers a window into the genius of writer/creator Ben Lemi's syncopated musical creations. A Zappa-esque, trippy, reverb-heavy journey into a fantastical realm, the song depicts a tale of dehydration and lamentation of missed water consumption opportunities. Fittingly, there's no accompanying video - the lush vocals, stuttering, propulsive drums and a convoluted, tasty melody with a tinge of UMO conjures an amazing visual and aural experience.
Ben says, “On one level Thirsty Critters is a provocation: Why is water important to us? How is water essential to you? What would Dr. Strangelove say about this? On another level it’s an observation of the shoots and ladders which make up the current music industry and the manner by which various entities traverse these structures.”
Ben Lemi is the multi-instrumentalist pillar of many bands in Aotearoa New Zealand. A humble, gentle and solid presence, his propensity for diverse sounds and adaptability to styles and mood is legendary. For Trinity Roots, Ben is the drummer; in Estère's band, he plays bass, keyboards and sings; he produces French for Rabbits' albums, in addition to adding vocals, bass and guitar; with Bret McKenzie, be plays drums and adds his silken vocals. In Dawn Diver, Ben plays all instruments and sings all vocal parts.
Thirsty Critters is available via all good streaming services from Friday 13 August on Wellington's Blue Riot Records.