Riki Pirihi & Abigail Aroha Jensen - Tupiki

Tūpiki was recorded at Audio Foundation during the autumn recording residency in 2023.

The conceptual framework for the album is inspired by the journey Maui took to climb the 12 stairs of heaven, Te Ara Poutama. Each track covers a realm which Maui climbs to retrieve the baskets of knowledge. Each track is dubbed in three, and each track plays out to 3.33.

During its recording, the album was divided into four parts dictated by certain realms of the soul - Puku, Manawa, Korokoro and Ūpoko. These realms anchored a method of playing for both Riki and Abigail, introducing a connecting point in the philosophy of hauora and sound associated with The Four Doors of Oro.
Abigail had been researching this concept through the late Hinewirangi Kohu-Morgan. Riki suggested they integrate the four doors into the 12 steps. Matt the sound wizard set up our booth, they recorded and layered each track in threes and thus, Tūpiki was born.

Each track is a musical interpretation within a realm, behind a door and in an upward motion. Tūpiki captures a moment in time where three people meet to climb the heavenly realms together.

"Tūpiki.
Tūpiki ake ki te wāhi ngaro. Tūpiki ake ki te rangi tūhāhā. Tūpiki ake ki Mātangireia.
Tū te winiwini, tū te wanawana.
Tū pīki, tū meke, tū much.
Karanga te pō, karanga te ao.
Koropupū te repo.
Tamumu te rau.
Wawara te ngārara.
Tioriori te kāhui manu.
He tipua, he taniwha. He aituā, he atua.
Karanga mai, tangi mai, mihi mai rā.
Tūmuckenfuch."
- Mokotron

Abigail Aroha Jensen
Pūtōrino, pūkaea,kōauau, pūrerehua, poi āwhiowhio, porotiti, tumutumu, hue, karanga kākā, ipu kōrero, harakeke chimes, pingao, shells, kōhatu, zither, field recordings & electronics, bells, bell tower, voice, rutman cello, gongs, water gongs, water percussion•

Riki Pirihi
Drums, cymbals, gongs, kettle drum, modular synthesizer, voice, vibraphone, bells, kalimba, tongue drum, water gongs, water percussion, organ, kōauau, pūtātara, pūtōrino, tumutumu, poi, āwhiowhio, ipu kōrero