Hapa

Hapa, pidgin for "half," often refers to bi- or multiracial individuals in Hawai'i. It's an apt name for singer Keli'i Ho'omalu Kaneali'i and singer/songwriter Barry Flanagan's group and their 1995 self-titled debut album. An exhibition of and introduction to the "Maui sound," Hapa proves that traditional Hawai'ian music and modern rock can indeed be blended into something both hip and enduring--something they continue in their follow-up album In the Name of Love. The noninstrumental tracks are in Hawai'ian--some traditional, some translated by Flanagan--with English and Hawai'ian texts in the liner notes. This is truly an essential album for any Hawai'ian-music enthusiast. --Erik Macki