Haast - Hāwea is an innovative environmental sound and ambient music project. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of natural landscapes, the project seamlessly blends field recordings and organic soundscapes to craft immersive and meditative compositions. Synthesizers intertwine with contrasting melodies, creating a dynamic interplay that mirrors the complexity of the natural world. With a focus on relaxation and introspection, Haast - Hāwea invites listeners on a sonic journey, where each track serves as a tranquil oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

You can listen or purchase via the bandcamp links below. Haast - Hawea is also available on streaming platforms.

Waitohi

Come for a journey around Te Waipounamu / South Island of New Zealand. Beginning at the rolling hills of Banks Peninsula, we head inland to the towering mountains of Arthurs Pass for a rest at Binser saddle. Follow us back to stormy Canterbury plains and travel south to set up camp at Waitohi Bush Reserve. Finally we head north to Lewis Pass and the St James Walkway, after a long day hiking we stop to rest by the stream outside Ada hut.

Hinewai

Hinewai reserve is a privately owned ecological restoration project on Banks Peninsula New Zealand. It's primary aim is to foster the natural regeneration of native vegetation and wildlife.

This album was created using field recordings taken in and around the reserve, from the beaches at the bottom of the valley to peaks at the top.
Over the course of a few visits synth lines we recorded at Hinewai in response to the soundscape.
The project will premiere online and at the Tai Tapu Sclupture Garden - a native regeneration project and sculpture garden based near the hills of Banks Peninsula on 5th March 2022.

A peaceful sitting. Travel up and down the valley starting with morning soundscapes flowing through to evening.

Taumauri

Taumauri is a mesh of different sound worlds. The collection of tracks feature fractured field recordings from both sides of the globe, gently gliding between the rains of the UK, Icelandic winds and the call of New Zealand's Tui.
Synths fly throughout creating ambient melodies in response to the dreamy soundscape.

Composed both in NZ and UK during lockdowns 2020

Venti

The journal Venti is a multidisciplinary publication about the effects and affects of "air".

www.venti-journal.com/all-issues

haast - hāwea's Venti EP was created for the second edition of the journal, "Air Bubbles".

In this EP, haast - hāwea deals with "bubbles" both literally and figuratively. The EP floats through different soundscapes and touches on bubbles in many forms through four delicately rendered tracks.
The field recordings featured in the EP come from both New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Venti highlights issues surrounding noise pollution and air quality in our environments, and includes relevance to the spread of COVID around the world.
The EP download comes accompanied with an art piece by artist Lindsay Vinarcsik.

haast - hāwea

haast - hāwea's first album. A collection of meditative tracks linked seamlessly by the field recordings that inspired them. Created using field recordings made on and around the various peaks of Central Otago Lakes District in New Zealand.