And the hits continue! I am in my own little nirvana right now, getting to listen to so much amazing music coming from these shores. The latest track I have been gifted is Black Smoke Trigger‘s absolute beast of a single, The Way Down. A guttural roar of a rhythm section courtesy of bassist Dan…

I’ve reviewed Bird Machine before, and they were good then. This new single, Closure, marks a definite step up in intensity and production level for the duo from Hamilton. This is an ethereal pop number to remember. Jenna and Luke have provided us with a dream-pop sound, enriched with layers of instruments balanced to perfection.…

I’m growing increasingly excited by the burgeoning rock/punk/indie scene evident in this country. From the number of jaw-droppingly good bands and their songwriting abilities, I have jumped into this reviewing game with unerringly good timing. Midwave Breaks is a duo from Tauranga. Comprising drummer Paul Russell (formerly of Supergroove) and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Bruce Conlon, they have…

Ooooooooh, RIGHT up my alley! Auckland based avant-garde metal/indie artist Minimaiz enlists the considerable talents of vocalist Ivy Marie to put a touch of snarl to the extremely heavy sound of new single Big. Massive guitars, some cool, unique percussive effects, a monster rhythm section and some deep, dark lyrics accompany a bittersweet, Gothic/Industrial melody.…

Sassy and now, tongue in cheek and relevant, Wellington’s Danica Bryant gives us her new single Libra. A song about the transparency and fleetingness of things like social media, fashion, astrology – when used as a means of judgement and condemnation. This is a pop single with teeth. Danica‘s lyrics are at surface level quite…

Maxine Macaulay is a Wellington-based artist, and vocalist/brains behind Goodnight My Darling. This new single, The Empress, is her first release since her eponymously-titled debut 2022 album, and is dark, compelling and ever so slightly scary. Wonderful! If someone wanted to put Portishead, Bjork, Kate Bush, Julia Deans and Everything But The Girl together to…

Wellington-local but proud native of the Philippines, Jeline is an artist with an incredible set of pipes! This was the first thing I noticed when I started listening to this number. This lady brings it from somewhere way down deep, and then goes a little further. With an impressive array of octaves, she’s absolutely fabulous…

Sydney-based Kiwi Country music artist Abby Christo beings us her latest single Shouldn’t Be Doing This. Now, with it having been recorded in Sydney but then produced, mixed and mastered in no less than Nashville, Tennessee itself – this single is literally dripping Country. Afficionados are going to flip for it. Now, Country is one…

Michèle Ducray is my kind of performer. She’s uniquely talented, in that she’s a fabulous singer, dancer and performer, but she’s also fearless and openly dark. I’ve reviewed a couple of her tracks before, and loved them, but this is the best of the three so far. Throne Of Mine is a synth-pop track basking…

London-based Aucklander Jupita (Julia Morris) brings us Want You Back, the title track for her up-coming debut EP. Produced by Levi Patel, Justyn Pilbrow and Maude Minnie Morris, this is an indie gem with layered guitars, stadium level drums, and a warm, understated yet effective bottom end. Very much a produced sound, it strays into…