Marlon Williams’ fourth release ‘Te Whare Tīwekaweka (The Messy House)’ is a radiant, uplifting and spiritual album that feels like home. For Marlon, ‘Te Whare Tīwekaweka’ describes a creative world in flux, an apt title due to his propensity for blending genres. Marlon felt that in order to regain musical creativity, it was necessary to return to his ancestral language, thus his first Maori record was born. On the creation process, Marlon says: “I’ve found a means of expressing my joys, sorrows and humour in a way that feels both distinctly new yet also connects me to my tīpuna [ancestors] and my country [land].” Threaded together over five years, the 14 track LP exists in a realm where language comprehension ceases to be the primary vehicle of expression.
The highlight of the project is the lead single ‘Aua Atu Rā’, which was also the first song written for the album. Through this track, Marlon inverts the whakatauki adage “he waka eke noa (we’re all in this boat together)” to instead sing of isolation and lament “Ko au anake Ki te waka Ki te moana (I am alone in this boat on the ocean)”. Despite the soft and bright instrumental, there is a strong sense of loneliness felt in Marlon’s gliding vocals.
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Chosen family is a crucial element of the album as old friend Lorde appears on his second single ‘Kāhore He Manu E’. The Piano Ballad features susremely sombre and poetic lyrics ‘Falling blood (scratch down, eever GET TO SAY my Goodbyes)’. On Her Experience Work with Marlon, Lorde Shared “[it]is one of my favourite things to do on earth”, further adding “I saw that the further he got into the album, the deeper my friend came to know himself, his whānau and his world at large”.
Another favourite on the LP is the Maori folk song ‘Whakamaettia Mai’. The track feels refreshingly familiar, like a campfire serenade on a warm summer’s evening. With a seamless blend of choral vocals, the song is an easy standout. For ‘Te Whare Tīwekaweka’, Marlon was guided by the proverb “Ko te reo Māori, he matapihi ki te ao Māori (The Māori language is a window to the Māori world)”. Which is why choosing to sing album opener ‘E Mawehe Ana Au’ completely acapella, is a welcoming and striking entrance to such a beautiful project. Meanwhile, the melodic album closer ‘Pōkaia Rā te Marama’ is imbued with heartfelt harmonies and flawless vocalisations – emotion is woven into every note and every breath of instrumentation.
Marlon crafts a sonic odyssey, guiding us to the heart of his ancestry. His homeland is not described only in words, but painted in sound, where melody, rhythm, and feeling weave a language beyond language, one that speaks directly to the spirit. This is an album that does not ask to be understood – it asks to be felt.
9/10
Words: Melvin Boateng
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