“NGA MIHI,” the latest single from DEHUSSLAR MUSIC, isn’t just a festival banger, it’s a heartfelt tribute to the weird, joyful, sweaty miracle of people coming together in the middle of nowhere to feel something loudly.
The title means “thank you” in Te Reo Māori, which is exactly the kind of simple, sincere sentiment most modern life does its best to grind out of you. But here, it’s real. No irony. No posturing. Just gratitude for the music, the moments, and the people you danced next to without ever learning their names.
The artist, DEHUSSLAR MUSIC, clearly isn’t here to manufacture vibes like it’s an algorithmic chore. This is a project born out of real, muddy, lakeside New Zealand festival culture, where the connection is more important than the chord progression (but luckily, both slap). “NGA MIHI” was recorded with that energy in mind; more field notes than formula, more sunburned catharsis than club polish.
And you can tell. The track builds like a sunrise set: shimmering synths, a bassline that arrives like a long-lost friend, and just enough room in the mix to let your serotonin breathe. There’s no unnecessary complication here; just a pulse, a hook, and the overwhelming sense that, for once, things might be okay for about four and a half minutes.
It’s the opening track from PREZ@MINEZ, DEHUSSLAR’s debut EP, and honestly, it’s the kind of debut that makes you annoyed that they didn’t show up sooner. Think Flume if he stopped worrying about TikTok. Think Kaytranada if he went camping. Think… well, think DEHUSSLAR MUSIC, because by the time the drop hits, you’re not thinking about comparisons, you’re thinking about what it feels like to be part of something.
If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that “NGA MIHI” is almost too sincere for the current music landscape. It doesn’t wink. It doesn’t apologize for itself. It just plays. And that might confuse the cynics. But if you’ve ever lost your mind at a sunset set or hugged someone you just met because the beat told you to, you’ll get it. Put “NGA MIHI” by DEHUSSLAR on when you need a reminder that dancing in a field with strangers is sometimes the closest thing we have to religion. And maybe, just maybe, send someone a text that just says “nga mihi.” See what happens.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for publications in the US and former lead writer of Atop The Treehouse. Reviews music, film and TV shows for media aggregators.
