Benny Jennings is Hominid, from the glorious capital of New Zealand, Te Whanganui a Tara/Wellington. His debut single, from the forthcoming eponymously titled EP, is Introvert/Extrovert. Hominid is a disciple of Deep House, dark electronica, and UK IDM. This debut single comes from his appreciation of and willingness to bring new and innovative layers to…

Tāmaki Makaurau’s Liam Dargaville is Dbldbl. Proudly Te Rarawa, Ngā Puhi, they bring forth a neat blend of minimalist beats and thoughtful, smart raps that dig deep into a lot of potentially divisive – but requiring attention – subjects. This latest single, Fakey, features a collaboration with fellow hip-hop and rap artist Randa. Firstly I…

Oooooohh, nicely nasty! Hurricanes rugby territory-spanning Pool House returns for 2024 with their new single Draw The Line, and it’s what I like to describe as a rattlesnake of a number. Sass, sneer, danger and power. It’s a term I learned from Brandon Flowers, of all people. There is a lot I can say about…

Former Atlas vocalist Sean Cunningham returns to these shores with Whatever That Is, the eponymously titled debut single from the forthcoming album. Nashville, Tennessee based Sean has been quite the journeyman throughout his stellar career, and now he’s bringing us his own take on all things earthly. Or otherwise. With a timbre somewhat comparable (to…

A member of New Zealand’s legendary Muttonbirds, now-London based Alan Gregg brings us his newest project, Polite Company. From its upcoming May release album, the first cab off the rank is the outrageously catchy single Circulation. A crystal clear tenor mildly akin to Mike Batt (if you’re old enough to know, you’ll know) gently delivers…

Banana Mundo is back with Intercultural Appreciation Day. This track is literally dripping with sublimely blended culturally iconic instruments and tones, and is an homage to that famed multi-cultural festival in their base, New Plymouth, over there in sunny Taranaki. We have a reggae base, with some fabulous salsa brass. There’s some wood and steel…

Another from the ‘Naki! That region is pumping out the artists in genre after genre, and Lauren Nottingham, AKA Frau Knotz, joins the roll of honour. Her new single Odyssey I, from her forthcoming debut EP Nextraterrestrial (due in August ’24), is out on Wednesday 24th April, and I get to tell you all about…

Based in South Auckland, Filipino-Kiwi hip-hop artist Ray Leslie comes to us with a dreamy number called The Fridge All Stocked. Putting me in mind of a time when I was sitting in a fale (pronounced fal-ey to those unfamiliar with the South Pacific) on the south coast of Upolu at a magical place called…

And the man from Taranaki with the Welshiest name outside of Llanelli (and before you ask, yes I can say that Welsh place name too; the long one), Evan Rhys, is back with an uplifting anthem called It’s Not Your Fault. Release date is 12th April, so diarise. We’re treated to some intricate guitar layering,…

Ms. Mia is the brainchild of Manila-born Mia Caintic. The lady now resides in Tāmaki Makaurau and is certainly making waves in the industry. Following successful releases in 2023, Ms. Mia brings us her first 2024 release Going For The Kill, to prelude her upcoming E.P. Living In The Shadows, due later this year. Going…