I don't think you get value for money from new bikes, anything like what we expect from retro bikes, and Kona is worse than most.
It's also worth bearing in mind that what they now brand as a Kula is what they used to call a Muni Mula, so they're not being quite straight in saying it's an entry level race bike. They don't publish the specs of their frames any longer (which tells a story in itself), but 'Race Light 7005 Butted' probably means that most of the tubes are plain-gauge. Still a good frame and probably weighs 4lbs or so, but if you had gone one level up to the Kula Deluxe (previously known as Pahoehoe), you would have got a scandium frame the same as the Kula Supreme (previously known as Kula!) and there you really are in xc race territory.
I think you're right to focus on upgrading the wheels, but I imagine that another part of the 27lbs formula will be the forks and you ought to pay at least equal attention to them. I don't know what a Recon SL weighs, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't well into the 4lbs bracket. I don't know much about modern forks, but if I was building a modern bike, I'd be looking to eBay for a Fox Float or an SID at around the 3lbs mark.
You could still get the weight of the bike down a bit, but as the Irishman said 'I wouldn't start from here'. For me, a value for money lightweight xc bike would all come from eBay, except the wheels from Merlin. Scandium Kona frame (or a Stumpjumper?), Fox forks and hand-built wheels and you've got the makings of a great lightweight bike - the rest of it doesn't make much difference.
But as it is you've got a good mid-level bike, ride it and enjoy it. If you can afford to upgrade the wheels and forks, so much the better.
