L.A.B. (album)

L.A.B. is the debut studio album by New Zealand band L.A.B., released in November 2017. The album become a sleeper hit, becoming one of the top performing albums in New Zealand between 2019 and 2022.

L.A.B.
Studio album by L.A.B.
Released	24 November 2017 (2017-11-24)
Genre	Reggae soul funk blues
Length	67:03
Label	Loop Recordings
Producer	Brad Kora
L.A.B. chronology
L.A.B. (2017) L.A.B. II (2018)
Singles from L.A.B.
"Jimmy Boy" Released: 21 September 2017 "Starry Eyes" Released: 12 October 2017 "Ain't No Use" Released: 2 November 2017 "Umulash" Released: 16 November 2017 "Controller" Released: 31 July 2018

Production

L.A.B. originally formed as a project for Kora members Brad and Stu Kora, in collaboration with Ara Adams-Tamatea of Katchafire and vocalist Joel Shadbolt. The songs recorded on the album were written and performed between 2015 and 2017, and developed based on audience reception.^[1]

The album was written in Whakatāne and Tauranga, and recorded in Wellington at Dr Lee Prebble's home recording studio, Surgery Studios.^[1]

Release and promotion

Four tracks were released as singles in the lead-up to the album's release.^[1] "Jimmy Boy" was the first, released on 21 September 2017 on the date when the album was announced.^[2] This was followed by "Starry Eyes" followed on 12 October,^[3] "Ain't No Use" on 2 November^[4] and "Umulash" on the 16th.^[5]

A music video was released for the album's final single "Controller", on 31 July 2018.^[6][7] The song became a hit in 2020 after the release of the band's single "In the Air", becoming the 8th most successful single by a New Zealand artist in 2020.^[8]

Track listing

L.A.B. track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"She's Gone"	B. Kora	7:21
2.	"Starry Eyes"	B. Kora J. Shadbolt	4:18
3.	"Jimmy Boy"	B. Kora	6:15
4.	"Umulash"	L.A.B. B. Kora J. Shadbolt	4:28
5.	"The Watchman"	B. Kora J. Shadbolt	5:11
6.	"Oh-No"	L.A.B. B. Kora J. Shadbolt	5:31
7.	"Controller"	B. Kora	4:35
8.	"Ain't No Use"	L.A.B. B. Kora J. Shadbolt	4:40
9.	"Love Will Save Me"	A. Adams-Tamatea S. Kora B. Kora	5:53
10.	"Sweet Water"	L.A.B. B. Kora J. Shadbolt	8:15
11.	"Old Man"	B. Kora S. Kora T. Kora J. Shadbolt	6:43
12.	"Lonely Man"	J. Shadbolt S. Kora B. Kora	3:53
Total length:			67:03

Credits and personnel

• A. Adams-Tamatea – arrangement (9), backing vocals (8), bass (1–3, 5, 7–8, 11–12), bass moog voyager (9–10), moog bass (2, 4), songwriting (9)
• B. Kora – arrangement (4, 7, 9, 11–12), backing vocals (1, 4, 6, 8), chorus vocals (9–10), drums (1–12), lyrics (1, 4–10, 12), percussion (2, 5, 8–10), producer, sampling (6–7, 9–10), songwriting (1–3, 5, 7, 9, 11–12), string & percussion arrangement (2), string arrangement (4, 11), timpani (3)
• S. Kora – acoustic guitar (12), B3 organ (8–10), backing vocals (1, 4, 6, 8), guitar (3), keys (1, 3–4, 8–11), organ (6, 11), rhythm guitar (5), songwriting (9, 11–12), synth (2, 4, 6–10)
• T. Kora – songwriting (11), slide guitar (11)
• L.A.B. – arrangement (1–3, 5–6, 8, 10), chants (3), lyrics (3), songwriting (4, 6, 8, 10)
• Dr Lee Prebble – co-producer, sound engineer
• J. Shadbolt – acoustic guitar (5, 12), backing vocals (6), guitar (1, 3–4, 6, 8, 10), lyrics (2, 4–6, 8, 10), songwriting (2, 12), vocals (1–12)
• Leisure Tomlins – vocals (4)

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for L.A.B. Chart (2017–2021) Peak position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] 8

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for L.A.B. Chart (2020) Position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10] 26 Chart (2021) Position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] 25 Chart (2022) Position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[12] 47

Certifications

Certifications for L.A.B.

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[13]	3× Platinum	45,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for L.A.B.

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
New Zealand	24 November 2017	CD vinyl digital download streaming	Loop Recordings	[1]

References

1. "L.A.B. Releases Debut Album - Out Today". muzic.net.nz. 24 November 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
2. "L.A.B Announces Release of Debut Album With Single 'Jimmy Boy'". New Zealand Music Commission. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
3. "Starry Eyes". Spotify. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
4. "Ain't No Use". Spotify. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
5. "Umulash". Spotify. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
6. "L.A.B. Bio". Reggarville. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
7. "VIDEO PREMIERE: L.A.B.'s 'Controller' directed by Shae Sterling". Radio New Zealand. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
8. "Kiwi music dominates the 2020 Official NZ Music Charts". Radio New Zealand. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
9. "Charts.nz – L.A.B. – L.A.B.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
10. "Top Selling Albums of 2020". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
11. "Top Selling Albums of 2021". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
12. "Official Top 40 Albums: END OF YEAR CHARTS 2022". NZ Music Charts. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
13. "New Zealand album certifications – L.A.B. – L.A.B." Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.