Oceania

What Enigma did for Gregorian chanting and Deep Forest did for African Pygmy song, New Zealand’s Oceania does for traditional Maori music. The group is centered around vocalist/composer Hinewehi Mohi and producer/arranger/composer Jaz Coleman (originally of the industrial/punk/metal band Killing Joke), who blend live Maori instruments and percussion with modern dance beats, atmospheric ambient backing, and Mohi’s ethereal vocals. Oceania’s eponymous debut album was released in the spring of 2000. ~ Steve Huey