What's New in New Zealand Music?

2019 ILM poll NZominationz :

Starting with a nomination on the metal poll – Beastwars made a shock return, reuniting in the unhappy circumstance of Matt Hyde's illness. The band's frontman went through cancer treatment in 2018, just before they made their fourth album. It seems he's doing well, as they're now on an Aus/NZ tour.

You can hear, listening to the album, how cathartic it is.
The new album is simply called IV, and its cover is the work of artist Nik Keller (who also did their previous three). The Greek goddess of health, Hygeia towers over a fallen soldier, a snake coiled around her shoulders, and a sword in her hand. – (RNZ)

BEASTWARS – IV
- https://beastwars.bandcamp.com/album/iv

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a2948879241_7.jpg

On ILM's poll, art-pop duo Purple Pilgrims' album is nominated, as is the track "Sensing Me". The album features guitar from Roy Montgomery (friend of ILM!) on "Ruinous Splendour":

Purple Pilgrims – Perfumed Earth
- https://purplepilgrims.bandcamp.com/album/perfumed-earth

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0378203621_7.jpg

On the ILM tracks poll:

Mermaidens – "She's Running"
- https://mermaidens.bandcamp.com/track/shes-running

Broods – "Falling Apart"
- https://open.spotify.com/album/3emsEOWvKnlvAOj80KEqLE

And there are album noms for THE DEAD C and Aldous Harding.

UTR's various contributors reviewed the year

UTR's 2019 Favourite Music Moments
- https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/16760/UTRs-2019-Favourite-Music-Moments.utr
-

Some great tracks from later in 2019:

"ROULETTE" – CHURCH & AP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTJjQigWQ8Y

SWIDT – "BUNGA"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQBEJQJ7_JQ

Disciple Pati – "The Boy Who Cried Woman"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66UD_8RSfGc

^ That's a debut single from December (more info here).

Also in December, Soccerpractise brought out their second electronic album, Te Pō (The Night) with noticeably more guitars, more reo Māori, and their Banger Ratio is up by about 300%, which = bangers. It's also available as a dizzying "visual album".

SOCCERPRACTISE – TE PŌ
- https://open.spotify.com/album/3He6sMx8TLPhEwUNtV3KGv

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/k3zjqlR0kHk/mqdefault.jpg

A few more 2019 releases – Punk band Miss June brought out their first album, Bad Luck Party after several years together, with a more conventional '90s alt-rock sound but some rough edges still there ... Electro producer BAYNK released Someone's EP II to some acclaim, and he's launching a U.S. tour next week ... Surf-rockers Soaked Oats made their 3rd EP, Sludge Pop ... And pop singer/songwriter Theia wrote a beautiful new Christmas song, "Te Kaiwhakaora O Te Ao".

Other stories:

Very Obscure Vinyls: there's an exhibition about lathe-cut records that were made in tiny numbers in NZ. Some of the lathe-cuts (a cheap alternative to vinyl) are now valuable, if you're into Aldous Harding anyway. The exhibit's coming to Lower Hutt in February.

Boomer/Millennial soundclash: can choral singing prevent ageist intolerance?

Kia māia (Be bold) - Ria Hall spoke at the 2019 Silver Scrolls on the disregard for women and reo Māori music in sectors of the industry, and encouraged them to change. (Just in case it isn't clear, this thread is not "the way it is" in real life. Inclusion here is almost a guarantee that an artist will be as obscure as a 19th-century war)

Another ILMy nom I forgot, by Chaos In The CBD - the second track on this record from the house DJ brothers, last February:

"Green Dove" is an upbeat trip that's also mellow and weird, including more retro rave influences complemented by lush atmospheres. An intro of synth washes picks up another bumpy melodic bassline. The brothers then chop up the vocals, creating an immersive soundscape that invites you to shut your eyes.
– (Resident Advisor)

Chaos In The CBD – "Orange Blank" / "Green Dove"
- https://chaosinthecbd.bandcamp.com/album/orange-blank-green-dove

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0976911012_7.jpg

Radio New Zealand have decided that youth radio is the future and they might build a station with a heavy focus on Kiwi music. Good luck with that! :-D

So, I'd like to a take a sec to mention some other places where New Zealand music is played and covered – and plz add others that you like, if any. I wrote before about RNZ's weekly show, Music 101.

IWI RADIO is where the largest number of NZ songs are broadcast every day, on the regional stations in each Māori tribal area:
- http://www.irirangi.net/iwi-stations.aspx
Three good ones for reo Māori music are Moana Radio (in Tauranga), MFM/Maniapoto FM (Te Kuiti) and Tūranga FM (Gisborne), and honestly the general pop mix on Atiawa Toa FM is better than anything that bigger and more cynical companies can come up with. The iwi stations do a great job on very low budgets, helped by the passion of volunteers, and sometimes by the automatic DJ machine that was going to take over RNZ Concert. (Don't praise the machine.)
An airplay chart is also compiled, Te Reo Māori Top 20.

UNIVERSITY MUSIC:

- BFM (Auckland), the show "Freak The Sheep" / video channel
- Radio Control (Palmerston North), "The Local Show" / vids
- RadioActive.fm (Wellington), "The NZ Music Show" / vids
- RDU (Christchurch), video channel / "Te Ahi Top 10"
- Radio 1 (Dunedin), "The Local" / vids

...Until now I didn't know about Radio Control's mixcloud, and neither does anyone else in the world apparently. The show that I stream the most often is R1's. New host is a bit full-on, tho

EXCITING WEBSITES:

- https://basefm.co.nz/category/video/local-eyes/
- https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/
- https://nzmusician.co.nz/
- https://nztop40.co.nz/

And further off the radar, there's always the Bandcamp tag New Zealand and Aotearoa.

A superb live band, L.A.B. have had their first hit together, and it's become the biggest Kiwi song of the moment – from their album L.A.B. III

L.A.B. - "In The Air"
https://labmusic.bandcamp.com/track/in-the-air

On the charts, some local musicians have had a very good summer. In 2020 so far, L.A.B. and Benee have reached No.2 and 3 on the main singles chart, where the last New Zealander to hit No.1 was in 2017.

The collaborative song "Ka mānu" is the current top song on the reo Māori radio chart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIj3cKbWgRE

Ria Hall (heard in "Ka mānu") brought out her new album last week. A tribute to classic reggae bands, it's a a good follow-up to Rules of Engagement, but at 7 tracks may've been more rightly labelled as a generous EP. The instantly iconic cover is by the artist Robyn Kahukiwa.

Ria Hall - Manawa Wera
- https://riahall.bandcamp.com/album/manawa-wera

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3428938539_7.jpg

Metal band Shepherds Reign released their first Samoan-language track as a tribute to the country of heritage of their vocalist Filivaa James and guitarist Oliver Leupolu. It's possibly the first metal track to be sung in le Gagana Sāmoa, though that's hard to ascertain. The band were supporting Alien Weaponry last week.

Shepherds Reign - "Le Manu"
https://www.thecoconet.tv/songbook/islandjams/shepherds-reign-le-manu/

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a2668439964_7.jpg

And for maximum tonal whiplash

NADIA REID - Out of My Province
- https://nadiareid.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-my-province

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a4145199521_7.jpg

The indie-folk star's third album, its title quoting Janet Frame, was written while Reid was travelling the world. Alongside guitarist Sam Taylor, the violinist Anita Clark (Motte) returns to her live band.

Nadia Reid - "Get The Devil Out"
https://youtu.be/VoRc9nBYwHo

L.A.B. - "In The Air"

A huge hit, the song eventually rose to No.1 overall, where it's stayed for 3 weeks now. A very rare achievement for a Kiwi artist.

Benee may get her first No.1 here soon – her track "Supalonely" has gone feral on TwitClock. On an unrelated note, she's also gonna try to take over the U.S., it can't be that hard.

- https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9337519/benee-interview-supalonely-emerging-artists-spotlight

OTHER STUFF: bKIDD featured new vocalist Jarna on his rap track "Can't Take This" (a 'Visualizer' is a music video with no budget?) ... Electro artist VASILI has a stunning new album, Hidden Inside, his tenth(?) in 7 years ... Yumi Zouma released their new record, Truth or Consequences ... Some prominent Various Artists have made a Katherine Mansfield album, GET YER OWN IDEAS, MATE ... (that's not the title) ... Rappers Shiraz & LSJ had some success last year and unveiled their most polished track yet, "Whitney". They had it mixed & mastered and everything ... Estère played a session track, "Mad about Your Sea" from her upcoming album ... And, the NZSO will stream its Bach concert live on Wed 25 March at 19:30 NZT on https://nzso.co.nz/live

The coronavirus is affecting New Zealand and its musicians like anywhere else – there's a page for artists who are facing problems with money, mental health and other things:

- https://nzmusician.co.nz/news/covid-19-vs-nz-global-music-industry

Ah, that one music video TV channel we have is back! for a few months.

I guess they don't mind the comparison with Radio with Pictures...
- https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/radio-with-pictures-1976/series

WOMAD festival was one of the last events to be held, in March.

But... there was a problem.

Wellington publisher Mary McCallum went to Womad with 17,000 people each day, just before the lockdown.
It’s a fortnight since people headed home from Womad in New Plymouth, some going straight into self-isolation as a preventive measure.

The problem with Womad
- https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/03/31/1107877/the-problem-with-womad

If a song called "Supalonely" can't get to No.1 during a human quarantine crisis, something unusual must be happening

The rapper Melodownz signed to Def Jam last year; his party piece is probably the track "Peace Signs, Gang Signs", he also did a long-distance collab with UK MC Coops on "Infinite" in 2018.

His latest single is a change of direction, heavily influenced by drill.

'“There’s a lot of drill and darker themes in music at the moment which I love also, but I just wanted to create something that makes people happy and comfortable.” Melo describes.'

MELODOWNZ - ‘Fine’
- https://basefm.co.nz/melodownz-fine

reason I stick with this dude is goofy lines like
"I don't hang with nobody who not nice"

From last year, but whadevva:

LOU'ANA - "Move Along"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd3STQPI6PY

Old time occasional poster/long time lurker who just retrieved his password here to say that GRG67 just put out their new album on Rattle Records last week and are very good at the jazz. Their release show was terrific and they're playing again on Thursday.

https://rattle-records.bandcamp.com/album/happy-place

Also went to the Cakekitchen release show last week. Wasn't overwhelmed by the selections from the new album on a first listen, but when you're competing against the career highlights on almost 40 years that's an occupational hazard, and a new track (recorded during lockdown) was one of the highlights of the whole damn show.

https://allyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/trouble-again-in-this-town

Coming to stages in Auckland in August: black metal legends Ulcerate, whose new record is a monster.

https://ulcerate.bandcamp.com/album/stare-into-death-and-be-still

(Since The Beths have their own damn thread I assume mentioning them here is redundant...)

I hadn't heard GRG67 before! Happy Place is a great album, thx.

Sorry for implying earlier that Radio 1's Henny G was too "full-on", as I now realize that she is the world's funniest broadcaster and her emergency music show in lockdown was the best one of those. Furthermore, the playlist starts with someone called Lee F Blower and then the latest banger "Heatwave" by Randa, whose yet-to-be-completed album will, I maintain, be the Alb of the Decade if they do it right.

- https://www.mixcloud.com/Radio_One_91fm_Dunedin/nz-on-air-presents-the-local-9420-with-ashley-adelaide-henessey-sam-tom

It's not quite true that I spent the last ten months listening to that Soccerpractise album on repeat, but pretty close.

Election special: Underground doomcore merchants The Beths helped the Green Party back to parliament by performing at their campaign rally in Titirangi ... Meme MP Chlöe Swarbrick got a booming result in the vote in central Auckland, an achievement maybe even bigger than her appearing in JessB's first video in 2018 as a netball official ... The opening track on the Ulcerate album, "The Lifeless Advance", also happens to sum up the far-right party of that name ... And there's a Cannabis Referendum but the electoral commission were too stoned to count the results for about two weeks. Obviously, There Is No Weed-related Music in New Zealand, so I'm not sure why I'm mentioning it here.

This band "Dick Move" might be a bit political as well :-D
- https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/17818/Dick-Move-Touring-New-Album-Chop!-In-October.utr

What's Old and Still Fresh in New Zealand Music? Well for instance this 'un I wrote about long ago in the Voice:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008 AT 4 A.M.

Die! Die! Die!

Promises, Promises (SAF)

"So much for blue skies! What about the future?" Thus New Zealand's young punks Die! Die! Die! yap back at a preacher's "You must believe!" They aren't really asking, but they also aren't really that close to no-future angels of '77. Of course not---too many things under the bridge, including bridges---and while these neo-classic cage-rattlers demand come-on comparison, they don't cling to it. They've got their own sonic reflux, absorbing the news and vice-versa. So even Die! Die! Die!, with their shrieky little name and shrieky little songs (tattooing ear canals), find themselves pausing just long enough to explain, quite reasonably, "Well sir, this winter, I cannot believe." "Blue Skies" is the last stop on Die! Die! Die!'s second album, Promises, Promises. Their Steve Albini–recorded, self-titled 2006 debut's flying shards of impulsive/compulsive encounters were caught by walls thrown up, tracks tightened till they imploded: 10 songs, in just over 20 minutes. But now, on this Shayne (of Straitjacket Fits) Carter–produced set, walls are pushed out as inner space-junk expands; shards reappear as pieces of Wilson's personal blue skies, of old hopes and dreams. His shattered, scattered voice and guitar can't help planting some bizarre memory garden of l-u-v. The eloquent guts of Lachlan Anderson's bass will never digest such seeds very easily, and drummer Michael Prain's Keith Moon-style soloing-as-accompaniment dents craters in a common labyrinth-in-a-maze, where Wilson and "You!" grapple in reflective gear.
Die! Die! Die! play the Music Hall of Williamsburg March 29 and Highline Ballroom March 30.

This might be new:

Die! Die! Die! - "450" / "I Seek Misery"
- https://diediedie.bandcamp.com/album/450-i-seek-misery

Vanessa Worm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZREmKORfWNI

xpost Thanks! Should have known they'd be on bandcamp.

The NZMAs, now named the Aotearoa Music Awards, are happening tonight and broadcasting on The Edge TV and Three.

Haven't followed the charts much this year, but it looks like a very promising nominee lineup – there are sure to be prizes for the some of the ones mentioned above based on popularity and maybe artistry.

Paige, who collaborated with JessB last year, is up for the breakthrough artist and pop award. Meanwhile, Troy Kingi's band are four years into their project to make 10 albums in 10 genres with the new one, The Ghost of Freddie Cesar, and he's nominated for best single for "All Your Ships Have Sailed".

Troy Kingi - The Ghost of Freddie Cesar
- https://troykingi.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-freddie-cesar

Chaii ain't gonna win, but I love her

CHAII - Lightswitch EP
- https://soundcloud.com/chaiimusic/sets/lightswitch-ep-1

Jawsh 685's "Laxed (Siren Beat)" is up for best single because it became popular worldwide as a 20-second snippet, which is handy, as there's nothing more to the track. The video's pretty good tho.
(Then Jason Derulo saw an opportunity, etc etc)

the cuticles & n.t. honey (typo'd elsewhere as m.t. honey but it's n.t.) are good. crude is doing stuff again but i only heard 30 seconds of a recent gig on someone's instagram post. heazlewood has a new band called consolidated fuzz, they're probably good, i haven't heard them. i'm in a band again too, good. why do people like the veils, they're terrible.

Arm Up Ehoa; The Pigs Want To Open Carry by Captain Cooked on #SoundCloud

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/G4AbY

Fazerdaze has a new song out: https://open.spotify.com/track/2qkAa6IrUy5WWizVE1rpeh?si=9u0qWliWSou70CfEOntp4g

It's got a great mid-nineties alt rock vibe. Less shoegazey than her previous work, with plenty of fuzzy grit.

It's been five years so hopefully a new album is coming soon!

I like the new Tiny Ruins songs, pretty indie-folk with memorable hooks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4feBg1lmrU