NEW Singles & Videos + Release Announcements + Brand New Signings
DANIELA LALITA reveals Trececerotres EP + video for 'Pisoteo'
Today Daniela Lalita has released her debut EP Trececerotres, out now via Young. Alongside the EP’s release, Lalita has premiered a new music video for the project’s closing track ‘Pisoteo’. Directed by Daniela Lalita, with choreography by Lourdes Leon, the video sees Lalita in an empty room, wrestling with the primal chanting and high-energy stomps of passionate marching in the song.
SKULLCRUSHER share new single and video
Singer songwriter Helen Ballentine (aka Skullcrusher) has released a new track and video for ‘It’s Like a Secret.’ This is the third single off her upcoming debut album Quiet the Room, out October 14 via Secretly Canadian. The track fits perfectly in the ethereal world Helen has created on the previous two singles with her angelic vocals exploring the bonds of a relationship backed by soft guitar, piano and violin.
VELVET NEGRONI announces new album Bulli + first single 'Sinker'
Minneapolis-raised artist Jeremy Nutzman, the brainchild behind Velvet Negroni, has announced details of a second album. Bulli will be released on 13 January 2023 and its lead single ‘Sinker’ is released today. Whirring with a strutting positivity and rich instrumentation, ‘Sinker’ is accompanied by an official video directed by Casey Anderson.
OKAY KAYA shares ‘Jolene From Her Own Perspective’
Okay Kaya shares a mind-altering video for ‘Jolene From Her Own Perspective,’ the new single from her upcoming world-building album, SAP, out November 4th on Jagjaguwar. The track finds Kaya Wilkins imagining Dolly Parton’s nemesis responding to her song: “I can’t believe we’re arguing about some man. That’s so silly. In fact, I’d rather talk about you and me.”
Listen: Dry Cleaning ‘Gary Ashby’
Dry Cleaning share ‘Gary Ashby’. The new single from their second album Stumpwork, out 21 October, follows the travails of a beloved family tortoise lost in lockdown (“Have you seen Gary?”). The album does have possibly the most disgusting (but great) cover art we've seen in a while.
Hans Pucket Share Album Title Track 'No Drama'
No Drama LP Out November 4th via Carpark Records. Wellington, four-piece Hans Pucket writes nervy but effortlessly danceable rock songs about feeling bad. Firmly established at home, where Liz Stokes of The Beths has declared them “New Zealand’s best band".
JOHN FM releases White Science (feat. Zelooperz)
Detroit-based singer and producer John FM has announced the release of a new single titled “White Science”, featuring fellow Detroit artist ZelooperZ. It’s the first piece of new music since the release of his critically-lauded EP American Spirit, which exemplifies the unique, dismantled Hi-Tech Soul music that John FM has globally become known for.
Big Crown's SURPRISE CHEF, next single + NZ shows!
Surprise Chef’s new single, ‘Iconoclasts‘, is the embodiment of “cinematic soul.” Moody and spacious instrumentation that at times is met with heavy drum beats that sends the listener on a trip through their mind. Surprise Chef pulls influence from the likes of David Axelrod to The Soulquarians and puts their own distinct flavour on it all.
ALGIERS return with new track & video
Algiers return with new track ‘Bite Back’, featuring Backxwash and billy woods. Watch the Murat Gökmen directed video below. Born in the band’s hometown of Atlanta, the six-minute opus sees Algiers frontperson Franklin James Fisher trading verses with contemporary hip hop innovators Backxwash, aka Montreal Zambian-Canadian rapper & producer Ashanti Mutinta, and NYC rapper and Backwood Studioz label founder billy woods, on Black resistance, PsyOps and police oppression.
Experimental duo SUNKING share a new two song single
sunking is the experimental sights and sounds of Seattle natives Bobby Granfelt & Antoine Martel, an outlet for the duo whose music is “steeped in funk, fusion, and the dreamier end of the rock spectrum,” said Seattle’s The Stranger.
KHRUANGBIN & VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ unveil new single
Khruangbin and Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré share 'Tongo Barra' today, a new preview from their collaborative album Ali honoring Vieux’s late father, the great Ali Farka Touré, out September 23rd on Dead Oceans in partnership with Night Time Stories Ltd. 'Tongo Barra' is an engrossing, nearly six-minute cornerstone of Ali sung in the Malian Songhai dialect, following the album’s beguiling lead single 'Savanne.'
Epitaph rockers, ARCHITECTS share a new single and video
Architects have shared the second preview off their new album, the classic symptoms of a broken spirit, which will be out via Epitaph on October 21st. Single 'deep fake' continues the band's exploration of electronic and industrial elements, pitting gritty synths against wailing guitar leads.
SPECIAL INTEREST feat. Mykki Blanco share new single
New Orleans no-wave punks Special Interest announced today that they will release Endure, their third album and Rough Trade Records debut, on Friday, November 4th, 2022. The announcement was accompanied by lead single 'Midnight Legend' featuring iconic rapper, performance artist, poet and activist Mykki Blanco, and complete with a stunning music video directed by Special Interest vocalist Alli Logout. Endure was self-produced and recorded at HighTower in New Orleans with engineering by James Whitten, mixed by Collin Dupuis (Angel Olsen, Yves Tumor, Lana Del Rey) and mastered by Matt Colton in London at Metropolis.
PLAINS release video for new single 'Abilene'
Jess Williamson and Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield recently announced an album titled I Walked With You A Ways for their new collaborative project, Plains. It’s a one time collaboration with the album out October 14th on ANTI. Now they give us the second taste of the new album with a video 'Abilene,' starring Adriene Mishler of the wildly popular Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel, directed by Corbett Jones & Nick Simonite.
Australia's SUNBEAM SOUND MACHINE reveals addictive new single
Globally recognised psych-rock, multi-instrumentalist Sunbeam Sound Machine reveals 'Paradise', the second sonic dreamscape lifted from his highly-anticipated third album Possum out on Friday, 7th October via Dot Dash / Remote Control Records.
IA release new song for Waiata Anthems
Māori Music Award finalists, IA, (pronounced te reo: ‘e-ah’) release a new song 'Te Aho Tapu' as part of Waiata Anthems Week 2022. Based in Waikato, the trio of young musicians are known for bringing taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments) into the modern music realm.
KENNY BEATS releases debut solo album LOUIE | THE LABEL
Producer Kenny Beats releases his debut solo album LOUIE via XL Recordings. The 17-track project arrives with a series of video vignettes paired with select songs, available for view here. LOUIE is now available for pre-order on vinyl and CD, for release on January 27th.
Magnolia Park new music video 'Addison Rae.'
Florida pop-punk band Magnolia Park adds another instalment to their ever-expanding discography with the new music video ‘Addison Rae.’ Inspired by everyone’s favourite Tik-Tok star, the track’s infectiously catchy melody is in the same vein as classic Fall Out Boy or Yellowcard, equipped with clever lyricism, anthemic sing-along hooks and effective rhymes that are bound to play on a loop in your brain all day.
GILLA BAND releases new track 'Post Ryan' from forthcoming album
Ireland’s Gilla Band are sharing a new track and video, ‘Post Ryan‘ today off their upcoming album Most Normal, out October 7, 2022 on Rough Trade Records. ‘Post Ryan’ was directed by Michael Speed and follows earlier singles ‘Backwash‘ and ‘Eight Fivers‘, which were accompanied by videos directed and animated by Mortis Studios.
New Albums & EPs Out Now
OLIVER SIM Shares debut album Hideous Bastard Out now via Young
Oliver Sim — best known for his work as songwriter, bassist and vocalist of The xx — unveils his debut album Hideous Bastard today alongside focus track ‘Run The Credits’ via Young. The much-anticipated album, produced by Oliver’s bandmate and lifelong friend Jamie xx, is a collection of songs inspired by Oliver’s love of horror movies and his own life experience and was conceived in Australia when Sim followed Jamie xx to Sydney on tour.
SOHN new album out now
Trust. the new album from SOHN is out now. The follow-up to 2017’s Rennen, the album includes the singles ‘I Won’t,’ ‘M.I.A,’ ‘Segre,’ and ‘Figureskating, Neusiedlersee’ and marks a seismic shift in perception and direction for the solo artist, echoing his new responsibility as the father of three children.
Remix of the Week
HUNNY share dream pop slenderbodies remix of 'Homesick'
Los Angeles based pop-rock band HUNNY share a reimagined version of their song ‘Homesick’ from the eponymously named EP released in July. The remix, by LA indie-pop duo slenderbodies (Max Vehuni & Benji Cormack) fabricates a celestial soundscape that pairs frontman Jason Yarger’s vocals with pulsating synths and warm guitar harmonics that transform the track into a lighthearted dream-pop tune.
Tours, Events and Festivals
THE OTHERS WAY FESTIVAL Announces Mega Line-Up for Labour Weekend
The Others Way Festival is elated to announce over 30 incredible acts from around Aotearoa and beyond, set to perform at Auckland’s most exciting music festival and street party. Delve deeper into these artists and familiarise yourself with the talent taking over Karangahape Road district this October.
Shapeshifter, Fat Freddy's Drop and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Combine For SUMMER HAZE
New Zealand’s premier electronic outfit Shapeshifter and Aotearoa icons Fat Freddy’s Drop are joined by one of Australia’s most innovative rock bands, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. These consistently amazing and world-class headline acts will bring their unique sounds to Tauranga and Matakana for Summer Haze, one of the definitive live music events of the summer.
Kia kaha te reo Māori! -Moana & The Tribe - 'AEIOU' - Tiki Taane Remake
Sneaking in at the end of Te Wiki o te reo Māori, Moana Maniapoto releases this fabulous remake of this iconic track....“AEIOU was released in 1993. It was blatant propaganda, a call to action. I was sick of having my name mutilated beyond recognition. I was on a mission to brainwash Pākehā into pronouncing the vowels correctly and rark Māori into joining a te reo revolution.
It began as a radio jingle written by Mina Ripia - we were both working at Aotearoa Radio. Teremoana and I wrote lyrics around the line “akona te reo.” Stuart Pearce produced it. This was before digital platforms. Radio programmers described it as “too preachy.” I suspect even the one line of reo in it was triggering.
Back then when my toddler spoke Māori, people would stop and stare - even our own if I’m to be honest. He was shocked if someone spoke Māori to him outside of kohanga, marae or home. My daughter who is 14 is in a completely different world where more Pākehā are learning or are at least conscious of pronunciation.
Angus McNaughton did a remix for our second album RUA. When Hinewehi suggested a remake, we discussed different producers. I’ve always been a fan of Tiki. He did a remix of another song Scotty and I wrote called 'Pae o Riri'. I like the dark brooding edge to his music. AEIOU is an anthem – it needs to be played at high volume. Love this new version.
It was a challenge for Scotty Morrison to translate mine and Teremoana’s lyrics. He did it metaphorically - not literally. I’m thrilled and honoured these artists put their own unique mark on this waiata. I absolutely love it.” - Moana Maniapoto
OUT THIS FRIDAY SEP 23! - Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin - 'Ali'
Order from your local record store if you can! Did you know - Ali Farka Touré played at the very first WOMAD in NZ in 2003 at Western Springs? It was AMAZING! Vieux Farka Touré played WOMAD in New Plymouth 2013! Anyhoo - Vieux + Khruangbin = STUNNING!
OUT THIS FRIDAY SEP 23; Makaya McCraven - In These Times
As epic and expansive as it is impressively potent and concise, the 11-song suite was created over 7+ years, as McCraven strived to design a highly personal but broadly communicable fusion of odd-meter original compositions from his working songbook with orchestral, large ensemble arrangements and the edit-heavy “organic beat music” that he’s honed over a growing body of production-craft.
ICYMI - Curated by The Label
Episode 1364 - Sharon Van Etten — WTF with Marc Maron Podcast
Singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten creates personal, deeply felt songs that also provide her with relief. Sharon talks with Marc about her stream of consciousness writing style and how it helps her process the difficult parts of her life. They also get into how Sharon’s new album emerged from pandemic isolation, how hard it was to tour in the Era of Covid, how her friendship with collaborator Angel Olsen got started, and why she continues to study psychology in the pursuit of a degree.