Pepper has officially released an animated video for their new single “Tides” (feat. Iration). “Tides” is the first time both Pepper and Iration have been featured on a track together and will be part of Pepper’s new EP, Makai, which just dropped on LAW Records.
Makai, the group’s newest EP, finds Pepper leaning even further into those roots. The record’s title is a Hawaiian term that roughly translates to “by the ocean,” and these six songs evoke the sounds and sights of the band’s island home. “Get Me Ready” (co-written by Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Kevin Bivona of The Interrupters) opens the album with a burst of sonic sunshine, while “Sweet Leef” sings the praises of herbal relief. Even the album’s artwork, which was created by longtime collaborator Ben Brough, pays tribute to Hawaii’s ocean culture.
Brough isn’t the only collaborator to appear on the record. Makai continues the band’s longtime practice of community building, with more than a half-dozen guest musicians contributing to various songs. Stick Figure’s Johnny Cosmic produces the track “Stay High.” Edley Shine of Born Jamericans appears on “Dancing on the Moon,” a song produced by David Foral of the Dirty Heads, while Iration — one of the first bands to ever release music through LAW Records — contribute to “Tides.” Together, those collaborators help shine a light on the extended family that Pepper has spent decades creating.
With new music and other creative ventures on the horizon, Pepper’s three members continue to fly the flag for a rich musical community built upon camaraderie and collaboration. There will always be more shows to play. More albums to release. More friends to work with. As Pepper moves forward, though, the band continues to look back, too, honoring the Hawaiian homeland that has always been the inspiration for the band’s art.