‘Manawa’

Mailani
(HA Enterprises)

Mailani Makainai broke out big as one-half of the pop duo Keahiwai; the group’s debut album won two Na Hoku Hanohano Awards in 2002. After several more Keahiwai albums and an imaginative experiment with mainstream "urban" music as a member of Mighty J, she stepped forward as a solo artist billed as Mailani and won the Hoku for best female vocalist in 2010. With "Manawa" she moves decisively from pop to modern Hawaiian music. The results are beautiful throughout.

Mailani and producer Dave Tucciarone keep the instrumentation uncluttered. Bass, guitars and ukulele are as complicated as it gets. Multitracked studio vocals fit in naturally; harmonizing has been part of Hawaiian music for almost 200 years.

"Hamama i ka ‘Iu," an original that Mailani sings without overdubs, stands out for its exquisite simplicity. "Aloha No," performed with guest vocalist Manu Boyd playing piano, is another highlight. The piano and two voices are all that are needed.

Mailani moves from Hawaiian to English with an arrangement of "Song for Someone" that reminds us of her appeal as a seductive lounge singer. "Flying High," the English original that closes the album, is a poignant love song that mainstream audiences will have no problem understanding.

Lyrics and translations of the newly written Hawaiian songs are available at www.mailanimusic.com.

"Mokapul I ka maile"