CHRISTOPH EL TRUENTO & LUCKY LANCE - THE 25TH OF JANUARY

Aotearoa glory in the form of Christoph El Truento's funky production and Lucky Lance's lovely poetry. 'The 25th of January' was concocted up in northern part of the country, which is in tune with Lance's spiritual guidance in rhyme-form as Lance shares a path for maintaining love and light in this weird world. Don't expect banger or slapper production from El Truento as he is a master of blending all sorts of musical funk together with the Aotearoa twist, which starts out with some super mellow vibes on early in the project and gets groovier throughout. You'll instantly relax listening to The 25th of January and you will definitely learn something from Lance's observations from outside the rat race.

<a href="https://christoph-el-truento.bandcamp.com/album/the-25th-of-january-ep">The 25th of January EP by Christoph El Truento &amp; Lucky Lance</a>

MILD ORANGE - LOOKING FOR SPACE

Dunedin’s Mild Orange dropped their third album ‘Looking For Space’ and the 11-track project serves as a light, yet poignant journey. Mild Orange have a low key global audience and, like all kiwi music that catches international listeners, there is a mellow Aotearoa vibe that permeates through their music. Looking For Space ties in healing emotions on top of wavy instruments that move between the stripped back simplicity and tapping into more expansive sounds, never losing that chill undertone regardless of how intense the lyrics might feel. This album is perfect to jam while cruising around or out in the garden, even more so when you stumble on a pocket of nifty guitar combos and drum patterns that brighten your day.

ALDOUS HARDING – WARM CHRIS

It’s hard to summarise an Aldous Harding record. Her unique brand of weirdo folk is intentionally subtle and beguiling, Harding inhabiting different voices from track to track and layering those songs in evocative but usually unexplained imagery. Musically this new one is a continuation from the sound of 2019’s Designer but is perhaps less immediately accessible. Missing those bouncy bass lines along with some of the dynamics. The result is a more pensive album which does take a few listens to get the hang of, almost like it’s training you how to hear it, and it’s certainly no less enigmatic than past collections... but it’s also fun and clever and humorous and massively rewarding. Truly one of New Zealand’s top tier musical creators right now.

YUMI ZOUMA - PRESENT TENSE

Probably the nation’s most reliably great pop band right now. If you don’t know then you should. Yumi Zouma just churn out excellent indie bangers after excellent indie bangers with great hooks and funky electronic instrumentals and don’t really get enough credit for how consistently enjoyable their music is. Present Tense delivers on their standard sunny daze lens flare aesthetic with just a little bit of tasteful refinement. Occasional saxophones. Live drumming. Some fuzzy guitar. Plus, like, you know, a collection of beautifully written tunes. Particular standouts: In The Eyes of Our Love, Mona Lisa, Razorblade & Astral Projection.

ERNY BELLE – VENUS IS HOME

Erny Belle is the stage name of Aimee Renata, a Tāmaki Makaurau songwriter whose tunes dabble in the woozy grey areas between country, folk, and even a bit of exotica. Venus Is Home is her first album so that means it’s the last chance you have to get on the bandwagon before your excuses run out. Renata may hail from Auckland but she also splits time in the Northland township of Maungaturoto and that connection with the natural world certainly spills through on these tracks, many of which manage to balance her sharp lyrics with her lush instrumentals. This is an album that manages to sound both unique and instantly familiar. It also announces a thrilling new voice in Aotearoa music.

FLO WILSON - PRELUDE TO REQUIEM

Composer Flo Wilson brings us Prelude To Requiem and this pocket of sound makes for a delightful listening experience. Wilson is an artist from Auckland and PTR takes the listener through a sonic journey, working through what feels like a celebration of arrival and then a settling, acquainting themselves with the destination - which is probably right where you are. The project contains a 20 minute lead track, the same version recorded in Sumner Food Forest, and a radio edit. Pick the one you like the most and give it a twirl to ground yourself.

<a href="https://saplingsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/prelude-to-a-requiem">Prelude to a Requiem by Flo Wilson</a>

WIRI DONNA - BEING ALONE

Popping out of Wellington is Wiri Donna with an enticing six track project. Bianca Bailey leads Wiri Donna while a variety of folks also chime in for what feels like a perfectly formed band. Various instruments enjoy moments of spotlight, from hard bass lines to crunching electric guitar and onwards, with Bailey's voice cutting through in a lovely, blunt fashion. If you're feeling the doom and gloom, Being Alone will work wonders. It captures some of that darkness within a generally raucous sound and you'll soon shake that gloom out as you venture through. Excellent kiwi riff-rock. Get amongst.

TE KAAHU - TE KAAHU O RANGI

Aotearoa artist Theia delivers Te Kaahu O Rangi as Te Kaahu, a project that provides the listener with instant goosebumps and connection to the land. TKOR is a collection of nine waiata that are deeply mellow and feel like the perfect companion for time in nature as Te Kaahu shares jams from her whanau. The jams range from light and fluffy to painful, though even in the pain there is still an uplifting energy to be felt when shared through waiata. However and for whatever reason you want to raise your mana, TKOR serves as a guide. Listening to TKOR will touch your soul. At a very basic level it’s a lovely teacher of all things Aotearoa. Having an artist like Te Kaahu channel this energy and share her creativity in this way feels like the best way to enter the new year, embracing the Matariki shadow.

TE KURAHUIA - UHA

There is nothing like an artist owning their creativity to the fullest and Te KuraHuia's new project 'Uha' serves as the best local example of this. Uha only consists of three jams with Poia and BMW tapping into a funky groove of Aotearoa music that will force you to tap along. Te Ira Wahine is slower and feels more like a journey within that is equally as captivating as the other jams. Uha comes together as a monumental project. Rooted in upbeat, powerful funk there is plenty to learn from just three tunes (plus a Te Ira Wahine radio edit). This is mandatory listening for any kiwi music fan and a low key takeaway is that instead of complaining, one can always impact matters more by embracing their own mana.

KAMAHUMBLE - O LE HUMBLE

Hailing from Christchurch is Kamahumble and his latest collection of jams under the 'O Le Humble' banner continues a theme of funky, unique NZ music. Kama shares his story over production that captures steady hip-hop vibes as well as upbeaty-dancehall vibes and the way Kama weaves his experience through the backdrop feels like an intersection of cultures. O Le Humble feels similar to Te KuraHuia's 'UHA' drop from a few months earlier as both artists shine with their alluring young energy, embracing a trendy sound-scape that’s purely of this country and no other. O Le Humble is upbeat and while it can be deployed to help make your vacuum duties more entertaining, it feels better suited to a community hype. Whether you need a jam before your sports game or an early-evening gathering, Kamahumble lays out a fun vibe that all kiwis can enjoy.

RECITALS – ORBIT I

When folks mention legendary kiwi record label Flying Nun, they’re usually invoking a sort of indie rock/pop sound from the 80s and early 90s. That’s all well and good, those tunes are iconic, but The Nun continues to serve up quality tunes to this day. In fact they’re on an absolute tear lately, releasing banger albums from the likes of Aldous Harding, Vera Allen, Reb Fountain, Sulfate, Wax Chattels and more in the last few years. This Recitals project is the latest and it keeps up the expected glorious standards. Recitals are a fascinating band with wide ranging ideas, most often settling on a kind of industrial rock sound but mixing it up from tune to tune. Closing track Tongue (Reprise) is a beautiful indie folk ditty with strings and finger-picked acoustic guitar. Angelpoise is a woozy synth instrumental that sounds a little like a mix of David Lynch and Frank Ocean’s Blonde. Rock Dove is an alt rock jam. Arrow is funky proggy expansion. You get the idea. Heaps going on and it’s all good. Shout out to Recitals and shout out to Nuns that Fly.

AVANTDALE BOWLING CLUB - TREES

Another fabulous project from Avantdale Bowling Club and regardless of how you feel about the gracious herb, ABC provides ample funk to enjoy 'Trees'. Tom Scott delivers typically vivid poetry as he sets a scene on 'Liquor Store', delivers details on his herb growing/selling journey, and breaks down society like a prophet. Scott is a wizard at telling everyday stories and this project is grounded in this ability, while a jazzy backdrop offers extra pockets for Scott's stories to explore. For those who have followed Scott's music for over a decade, each new project seems like his best mahi. Anyone new to this will enjoy Aotearoa's finest story-teller flowing through typically mellow instrumentation and old school fans will enjoy Scott's growth, that hasn't stretched beyond basic Auckland tales.

MARLON WILLIAMS – MY BOY

Dunno how he does it but he does it. Marlon Williams is a proper craftsman, whipping up all these songs that feel hand-made as if he picked them up from the arts market. If there’s a criticism of his third album, My Boy, it’s that maybe it’s more a collection of songs than a cohesive album – even the lead singles were quite contrasting with the Aotearoa strum of the title track against with the synth paranoia of Thinking of Nina. But that’s only *if* there’s a criticism. Which there isn’t because when the tunes are this strong it doesn’t matter. Funkily enough, it’s the synthier tracks that crack and sizzle the most - songs like My Heart The Wormhole, Princes Walk, and Soft Boys Make The Grade. Another string to his bow. There’s also an almost unrecognisable Barry Gibb/Barba Streisand cover as closer. The production is fantastic, the instrumentation/arrangements are constantly thrilling, though Marlon being Marlon the thing that takes this album into transcendence is that absolutely incredible voice of the man’s. Nobody served up a better song than Thinking of Nina in 2022.

THE BETHS – EXPERT IN A DYING FIELD

Make that three for three for The Beths. This is maybe the third best album of the three, lacking the sheer energy of Future Me Hates Me and the variety of Jump Rope Gazers... but when your third best album is of this calibre then you’re doing fine. With EIADF you’d now have to argue that The Beths are one of Aotearoa’s biggest bands of the last couple decades – not too many others have stayed flawless through three records. The title track gets things off to a great start. Knees Deep doesn’t lose that momentum at all. Silence is Golden goes hard. Head in the Clouds. Best Left. I Told You That I Was Afraid. And 2am is a sweet, subtle finale. Dunno what to tell you, buddy. The Beths don’t miss.

TROY KINGI – YEAR OF THE RATBAGS AND THEIR MUSTY THEME SONGS

We’re up to album six in the 10/10/10 project and the latest genre that the master Troy Kingi is dipping his toes into is... 80s synth pop. Yeah mate. Bit out of left-field but it’s a tribute to the era he was born into. The result isn’t his most natural fit as the songs often feel like they’ve been moulded to fit the genre rather than being born in their ideal state, however the man can write a tune regardless - as Paparazzo hammers home yet again (unreal video too, so good). Freaky is another standout, upping the funk stakes which he thrives upon. Who Lives In The Abyss is an awesome mid-tempo ponderer. Pocket For Your Petty Cash is where he most resembles Prince (including a great use of the term: lickety-split), kinda surprising The Purple One wasn’t more of a touchstone through the rest of it actually. Also wish he’d gone a little more ZZ Top Eliminator with the concept at times. But can’t complain about another batch of memorable tracks from one of Aotearoa’s most relentlessly creative minds. Don’t forget the orange twist.

FAZERDAZE – BREAK!

The debut full-length from Christchurch artist Fazerdaze, 2017’s Morningside, was an instant kiwi classic with its breezy guitar pop stylings. It’s been five years since then and one case of burnout later Amelia Murray’s back with a fresh EP. There’s a doco about what she’s been up to in the meantime which is a great little watch, luckily Morningside sounds as fresh now as it did five years ago. But this new five-tracker... mate. Break and Overthink It are the two home run tunes, a touch heavier in their 90s alternative influences, both reaching into the stratosphere when the layered vocals start to hit. Amazing songs. Elsewhere Winter takes a smooth R&B turn, Thick of the Honey cranks up the funk-meter, and Come Apart is the one track that feels like it’d fit seamlessly onto Morningside (which means it’s also fantastic). There’s so much going on here it’s buzzy to realise there’s only 14 minutes of it. An emphatic comeback.

DARTZ – THE BAND FROM WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND

In a righteous world, DARTZ would instantly replace Six60 as the kiwi band that sells out stadiums. That’s not gonna happen, sadly, but that’s through no fault of these blokes who’ve just delivered an absolute chonker of a debut record. Loud punk-tinged rockers with lyrics that are funny and relatable, one after another. There’s a tune about paying high rent on crap housing. There’s a tune about getting high at the beach. There’s a tune about taking bad drugs before a Dave Dobbyn concert. There’s a tune about wanting to fight Captain Cook. There’s a tune about Brian Tamaki being a dickhead. That’s only the half of it. Roll down the windows of your Toyota Corolla this summer and let the sounds of The Band From Wellington, New Zealand permeate across the land. It’s raucous and rambunctious and an absolute joy from start to finish.

HANS PUCKET – NO DRAMA

Hans Pucket are surely one of Aotearoa’s best kept secrets. According to themselves, the Wellington band makes: “nervy but effortlessly danceable rock songs about feeling bad”. Seems legit. But you won’t be feeling bad for listening to them. The quality resounds. Despite themes of modern anxiety it’s an upbeat record with a flair for the little bit extra (flutes and strings and horns occasionally pop up). Jonathan Pearce of The Beths produced the album and does a cracking job, this is one of the richest sounding rock albums you’ll hear this year. There is not a weak tune among them. Don’t overlook a Beatles-esque vibe of whimsical melodic prowess amongst the efforts either. Another kiwi classic in the bag. No dramas.

REI - ARIKI

Distinctly Aotearoa music thrived last year with releases such as Rei's 'Ariki' joining Te KuraHuia's 'Uha' and Te Kaahu's 'Te Kaahu O Rangi'. Here Rei drops 20 tracks with a mix of uplifitng waiata and soulful jams that serve as instant connection to the land we live in. There is also lovey variety in the influences that Rei draws upon as different genres and while following trends isn't something the Niche Cache celebrates, Rei captures elements of modern music to twist them into his unique sound. Ariki thrives in any situation and can be an education tool for te reo, or just a fabulous representation of NZ music from 2022.

SOAKED OATS – WORKING TITLE

The latest in a long line of quality kiwi bands to grow out of Dunedin. Soaked Oats are a tough lot to get a handle on though, this is a madly eclectic record. The Way It Works is a thumping psych rock tune, Divide Symbol is a slow dirge that erupts with a guest verse from kiwi rapper Church, Headline Opinion sounds like Lou Reed fronting Talking Heads, Simple Pleasures is modern indie rock freshness, Pink Beach is a soggy R&B track, Daemon is almost eight minutes of ominous restraint. The change-ups do mean the album doesn’t play as cohesively as it could, more like a random collection of songs. But that’s all goods, chuck it on shuffle and you won’t lose out. These dudes can play and they’ve got plenty of tricks up their sleeve.

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