‘Abstract energy crafts a place with a gentle breeze, a lapping tide, a beautiful bay with rolling hills, calms an uncoiling mind.'

These lyrics are from the song ‘Right decision at the time' which features on the debut album The Observer released recently by Papamoa musician Lee Mckenzie.

Papamoa musician and audio engineer Lee mckenzie has released his debut album The Observer recently. Photo: Supplied

The 22-year-old guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, audio engineer and performer released his album through online music website Bandcamp in late November.

The 10 track album features material written and recorded during Lee's Diploma in Music Production and Performance studies at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, between 2011 and 2012.

'I am really pleased, it's come out quite nicely,” he says. 'The neat thing is each track was recorded and produced at different times with varying degrees of resources, knowledge and abilities.

'As far as the sound and the way it's come across the album has quite a lot of character, it certainly isn't clinical in the way it sounds but it is tightly produced and I feel flows really nicely.”

Lee says The Observer encompasses the most significant projects from a 'highly pivotal and influential period of my life”.

In a nutshell he defines the sound as 'that of a stripped back singer-songwriter, arguably more melancholic than not.”

But within his song writing he confesses to also gravitating towards more experimental sounds.

Lee says he has the tendency to avoid anything that appears too generic sounding and attempts to be very experimental in his approach.

'In terms of influences, I like anything that comes across to me as imaginative, expressive and colourful, and I tend to take the same kind of approach in my writing.

'I listened to a lot of Pink Floyd while growing up and I hold in particularly high esteem Steven Wilson and his group Porcupine Tree.”

Now that The Observer is completed and been released Lee says he's looking forward to throwing himself into the next project.

He's got a wealth of material yet to be recorded and is wanting to get back on stage and performing live over the summer.

Lee is also wanting to utilise the skills he learned during his Polytechnic studies and his mobile, off-site recording setup.

'It's a very small and stripped back operation but it's really professional, high grade stuff. I've recoded pianos in people's attics, vocals and guitars in people's lounges, so it's quite cool.

'There's always something to do, there's something going on. One step at a time as they say.

For more information visit Lee Mckenzie's website at www.leemckenzie.co.nz or to download The Observer visit www.leemckenzie.bandcamp.com

Listen to The Observer by Lee Mckenzie in full below: