aloha
Hello friends, this is the home of Haleiwa - musical project from Stockholm, Sweden.
I was sitting near the beach in Jeffrey's bay, South Africa, playing with my guitar when Natali and Sonwabisi, two South Africans started playing with me. I didn't know them, but we started jamming. I picked out some chords I like, and my new friends filled in with their stuff. Sonwabisi sang in the language of Xhosa. That was the best jam of my life. The sun was shining and we heard the ocean and the crickets in the background. I will never forget that moment. Three souls with different paths, united into a song on a beautiful beach with the powerful forces of nature in the background. Let's treat each other like brothers and sisters, just like Sonwabisi and Natali treated me like their brother. Peace and love.
news
14/8 -10Haleiwa interview
A Turkish blog called " Want An Ear" has made an interview with Haleiwa. Check it out here. Also, our label Friend of Mine Records announced that "Pura Vida dude" is sold out at Tower records in Yokohama, Japan! Great news!
5/8 -10Review and distribution
Hello friends! It is now possible to buy "Pura Vida dude" from Norman Records in the UK, you can order it here. They are now distributing the album in the UK. Also, a webzine from USA called Audio Suede has reviewed "Pura Vida dude". You can read the review here.
26/7 -10It's a trap!
Avi Roig at It's a trap received a copy of "Pura Vida dude" and has written his thoughts about it. You can read it here. You can also listen to a song called "Vibraandaman" by visiting the link to It's a trap. "Pura Vida dude" was released in Japan on 7th of July. If you wish to have a copy, send an e-mail to info@haleiwamusic.com. The prize is 100SEK/10EURO/12USD and that price includes postal service fees! Peace friends!
3/7 -10Friend of Mine Records website update
Friend of Mine Records have updated my artist profile on their website. Also, one song that you may not have heard yet is streamed there. Click on album info on the Haleiwa artist profile, and you can listen to a new song called "Coffee Bay". Go to Friend of Mine Records website by clicking here.
19/6 -10Listen to new song
Friend of Mine Records have put up a new song called "Observatorielunden" on their myspace. You can also see the artwork for the album here.
7/6 -10Album at the factory
The album is currently being pressed at the factory, and Friend of Mine Records will receive it in about a week!
25/5 -10Pura Vida dude
Now the record is 100 % finished, it is mastered and the artwork is ready, it will soon be sent to the factory for production. I am also proud to announce that it will be released in Japan by Friend of Mine Records! The release date is 7th of July 2010. Good times!
7/5 -10Updates
Hello friends! The upcoming album entitled "Pura Vida dude" will be released on 7th of July. My friend Karl-Johan Svanström has made an amazing cover art for the album. Stay tuned, you will see it when the album comes out. Haleiwa also has a Facebook profile now, so get in there and check it out, I also added the final version of the opening track "Pura Vida dude" to the Haleiwa Facebook page. I have added some more vocals to the song.
8/4 -10Jungle Choir Session #2
Yesterday we met up at Möre Studios and recorded more choirs to the album. The very talented Anna Ödlund sang on four of the songs, and it turned out great. To hear Anna's own terrific band Leonwalls, go here.
4/4 -10Amazing weekend
This weekend has been so great, I have been skateboarding at my local spot Observatorielunden, and writing and recording a new song called "Tropical Punch" in the evenings and mornings. This new song is going to be added to the upcoming album "Pura Vida dude". Springtime has arrived in Stockholm!
24/3 -10Will Gambola Sing album release
Today my other band Will Gambola Sing's debut album is released in Japan on Friend of Mine Records! For more information about the release, go to willgambolasing.com or friendofminerecords.com. Surf's up friends.
13/3 -10Day at the studio
Today I was at Möre Studio with my friend John Roger Olsson and some other friends, and we recorded some choirs for a song on the upcoming album, it turned out really good. Me and John Roger also recorded a brand new song, which might also be in the new album as well. I am currently working on writing and recording one last song for the album, and this new song might be the one I am looking for!
28/2 -10Haleiwa's music on The Berrics!
My friends at VA skateboards here in Stockholm have used my music in their online video that is currently online at theberrics.com. For those that don't know what the Berrics is: It is a world famous website for skateboarding that pretty much all of the skateboarding world follows. It is founded by pro skaters Steve Berra and Eric Koston. So it's big!
This video is featured in a competition for the best foreign skatevideo, and VA skateboards video is on the list for final votable videos to win! So vote for the video. You can see it online here. Look for a video named VA under the YOUnited nations contest, it is on the first page on the website. Have fun!!
25/2 -10Name change
Hello friends. I am changing the name of this musical project to Haleiwa. The new album entitled "Pura Vida dude" will be released under the artist name Haleiwa. This is a new decade. New visions and new inspiration!
19/2 -10Album finished!! New song up!!
Today I finished my work with my new album entitled "Pura Vida dude". As I mentioned earlier I have been working on it since fall 2008, and to finish it today feels unreal. I have put all I have and all my best into this album and I am very pleased with the result. You can hear a song on myspace. Enjoy!
18/2 -10Observatorielunden
My friend, fellow skateboarder and film producer Jonathan Volle has released his masterpiece "Obsession", which is a ten minute movie that captures 10 years of skateboarding in my favourite skatespot Observatorielunden in Stockholm. This movie is a pure masterpiece. I have skated this spot since 1999. I can recommend this movie for everyone to watch, even if you don't skate, because this is art! You can watch the movie online here.
I also want to give my love to the location and legendary skatespot Observatorielunden, so I have named one song on my upcoming album after it. By the way I am 99 % done with my new album. Just some last finishing needs to be done before I will call it ready, I am stoked about that!
6/2 -10New inspiration
It really pays off to wait with music until it is just like you want it. I gave my new album some more time this winter, I almost considered it done in december last year, but now it has gotten even better since then. I have been in a tropical country getting some new inspiration and sounds for the finishing of the album. I am really stoked on this album, I have been working on it since 2008. Patience and perfectionism is a good thing when you are making an album.
I will let you hear some new songs soon, stay tuned. Peace and freedom, friends!
9/12 -09Album update again
Hello! I am almost finished with the new album, but I want it to be PERFECT before I can consider it done, and this takes some time. The last three days I worked about 10-11 hours a day with the songs, polishing my diamonds! So anyone wondering when it will be done I can just say it will be done when I dig every part of it. Peace friends.
8/12 -09Sharkwater
A few days ago I watched a documentary called Sharkwater, it showed how man hunts and kills hundreds of millions of sharks every year, and that sharks will be extinct if we carry on doing this. The main reason for this hunting is to cut off the fins to make soup of it, it is considered a luxury meal in Asia. Sharks are very important for the oceans as a top predator, and without sharks the marinal ecosystem would collapse. Hearing this makes me even stronger in being a vegetarian and thereby living a life of non-violence. For more information on how to save sharks go to sharkwater.com.
19/11 -09New record soon finished!
Hello friends! I have been working a lot lately with my upcoming album, and I am happy to announce that it is soon finished. I will go to the studio tomorrow to work on the songs. I will let you hear a couple of tunes soon. Stay tuned.
19/9 -09Epic Saturday
Today it was 20 degrees Celsius and a shining sun! I was skateboarding the whole day, met a bunch of good old friends, and I had the best time. In the evening I wrote and recorded a new song for the upcoming album. Stoked!
12/9 -09Skateboard documentary
In August I got in touch with a cool guy named David McClymonds, a skateboarder and freelance journalist from the United States. He was in Stockholm making a documentary about the Stockholm skateboarding scene and wanted me to participate in it. He came by my house one day to film, check out my instruments and to talk about music and skateboarding. Many friends and other people that I know in Stockholm are participating in the film. He is also using my music in the opening and closing section. You can watch the documentary here.
1/9 -09Short holiday
I spent the last four days in a house in the woods of southern Sweden, and I had my studio with me along with some instruments. I had time to listen through all of my new material and had time to make new recordings. It was a great way to get new inspiration and to make music. I could easily spend a whole summer there, just playing music, swimming in lakes and bathing in the sauna!
24/8 -09Album update
My new album is in the works right now, I have about half of the album done. The style of the new material is a bit different to my previous music, and I am very pleased with the new songs. I will put up a tune or two when I'm closer to finishing my work with the album. Stay tuned friends!
18/8 -09Go vegetarian
I have been thinking a lot lately about meat consumtion and the effect it has on the environment, the animals and our own health. I have been a vegetarian for 11 years. I recently saw a movie called "Home 2009", it is a nature movie filmed from above earth. It shows the earth's beauty, but also the destructive effect of us humans living in it. I can really recommend it, you can watch the movie online here. It is not too late to make an effort to save our planet!
7/7 -09Japan promotion
My friends at Friend of Mine records in Japan have put up my latest album for free download on their website
10/5 -09New recordings
I have recorded some new tracks for the upcoming album which will probably be finished sometime after this summer.
13/04 -09Hello friends!
I am currently enjoying the nice spring weather, and getting some inspiration for my fourth album. I have already recorded some songs, and more is to come soon!
music
Pura Vida dude
New album from Haleiwa out 7/7 on Friend of Mine Records!
2008 Album
This album was recorded during July 2007 - July 2008, and is mostly instrumental. Very many instruments were used in the making of this album. I used sitar and harmonium a lot on this album, along with the rest of my circa 35-40 instruments. Inspired by the tropics, and also my other home country India. Enjoy. Skate for life! Album review on It's a trap!
Artist: Haleiwa
Title: Uskotko että siellä on kukkia?
Track list:
- Laodi Majra download
- Koti rannalla download
- Hengellinen herääminen download
- Ihmeitä tapahtuu maailmassa download
- Heka ja minä download
- Iloitkaamme download
- Auringonlasku merellä download
- Kerran asuin trooppisella saarella download
- Paikka jota me kutsumme taivaaksi download
First album
This is Haleiwa's first album, recorded during December 2005 - September 2006. It is a blend between acoustic and electronic ambient sounds. I am thinking about remixing this whole album in a near future.
Artist: Haleiwa
Title: Näin Elämän Suuruuden
Track list:
about
Haleiwa is a musical project from Stockholm, Sweden that is led by musician and multi-instrumentalist Mikko Singh. The music is very much inspired by warm, tropical places like Hawaii, Panama and Costa Rica. Haleiwa strives to make uplifting and positive music, and wants to spread a good feeling to the world. The aim is to make the listener feel like they are on a tropical beach, and at the same time the melodies are a very important part of the music. So close your eyes and let yourself be swept away!
The use of many different exotic instruments adds to the warm feeling of the music. Haleiwa's favourite instruments are the guitar, the balalaika, harmonium and sitar. Over the past years Mikko has been travelling a lot, and has brought many different instruments from each place. Musical references are the likes of Tortoise, Unwed Sailor and Eluvium.
Band members:
- Mikko Singh
Additional musicians:
- John Roger Olsson
- Anna Ödlund
- Jens Pettersson
- Tobias Hurtig
photos
contact
get in touch
info [at] haleiwamusic.com
my space
my friends
- Friend of Mine Records / Record label
- The Grand Opening / Great band and friends
- Leonwalls / Great band and friends
- Will Gambola Sing / Mikko's other band
- It's a Trap! / Scandinavian Music Journal
- piira design / Good old friend and a kickass web designer
- Goveg.com / Information about why we should eat vegetarian, for the earth, ecology, the animals and our own health.