Vantage Point

Sons of Zion’s follow-up to 2017’s The Jukebox Suite EP finds the five-piece further establishing themselves as one of New Zealand’s smoothest acts. A beguiling mix of roots, reggae, R&B, and pop, the slinky “So Bright” would work equally well in a smoky nightclub or on a deserted beach. “Leave with Me” sounds like cocktails at dusk, while “Mash It Up” embraces the band’s Jamaican dancehall influences. Ziggy Marley and 311 spring to mind as references throughout Vantage Point, but, ultimately, Sons of Zion’s sound is their own, and it brings the sunshine no matter the season.