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"Aloha Got Soul are one of those imprints that are always checkable, doing their own thing, following a philosophy and a way of working that foregrounds music that’s always interesting, always vibing, that seeks different ways of expression."

— banbantonton.com, October 2021 

 

[Aloha Got Soul] has been responsible for spreading the funkier and more soulful side of Hawaiian music to far-flung corners of the globe where curious listeners soak up the sunny sounds of the Hawaiian homegrown recording industry. The 2016 compilation Aloha Got Soul: Soul, AOR & Disco in Hawai’i 1979–1985 was the culmination of Aloha Got Soul’s partnership with London label Strut, compiling sixteen songs recorded within the archipelago. Instead of Hawaiian music that typically evokes thoughts of ukuleles, hula skirts, Don Ho, or even Elvis, the songs lovingly compiled for this release presented listeners with a very different perspective on the popular music of the fiftieth state. More than just another regional flavor within the American musical spectrum, the music showcased proves that Hawaiian music—even when it’s trying to mimic mainland styles—stands apart from its mainland competition both musically and lyrically.

— Wax Poetics, January 2022

 

Why vinyl? “There’s this element of care that comes into the process of finding the record, putting in the work to go to a store, talking with the salesclerk or doing the research. Then you bring it home and add it to your collection—you have to make space for that. Then to listen to the music, you have to make the effort to put it on your record player. I think that a lot of people who are buying records nowadays, they’re seeking out a more tangible connection to the music they love.”

— Honolulu Magazine, February 2024

 

Aloha Got Soul creates opportunities for talented musicians whose repertoires lie outside Island reggae or traditional Hawaiian music. “For Maryanne [Ito] and Nick [Kurosawa], they are singer-songwriters and that’s critical. They’re doing their own music and it’s worthwhile, it’s got some substance to it. And that seems to be what [Roger Bong] wants to invest in,” [musician [Kit] Ebersbach says. Bong says he wants to promote unique Island sounds. “Being this mixed plate culture that we are, there are so many types of music being made. My role is to help support and facilitate all the other styles”. He has avoided the most popular forms of music in pursuit of funk, soul, new age, electronic and boogie genres.

— Hawaii Business Magazine, September 2019

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