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…

New Zealand has this knack of making beautiful music that spans genres one would never believe possible. Taranaki’s alt-Swamp Blues band The Mons Whaler has certainly captured this with the title track to their new EP Won’t Let You Go. Comprising vocalist/guitarist Hemi Coates, bass/BVs Phil Hoskin, Drums/Percussion/BVs Andre Peri and keyboards/BVs/lead guitar Courtnay Low,…

This is a different genre to what I normally look for, but wow, what a compelling sound! Goblin Problem is the solo project for Cheap Sav For Dead Friends frontman Jack (great first name) Buchanan, and is NOT the same type of music at all. This is a trance-esque, slightly Moby, slightly Empire Of The…

The Julian Temple Band has been around for many, many years and the experience shows. The single I’m reviewing today is named Tunnels, eponymously as it turns out as that is also the name of their seventh album, just released. Julian Temple sings with an unmissable, unique timbre. One second the post-punk raspy growl of…

RRRRAAAAAARRRRGHHHHH!!!! I absolutely LOVE a well designed, delivered and blisteringly energetic punk rock stomper, and my buddies Underwire have delivered for me again! Falling All Over is out on the 29th September, and I’ll not steal the thunder of their EPK with too much of the detail on the professionals used to record, mix and…

There is a specific sound that nobody but nobody does quite like New Zealanders. Fat Freddy’s, Trinity Roots, Salmonella Dub, The Black Seeds, Katchafire, Che Fu, Herbs. It goes on and on, and my apologies if I missed out one of your favourites. That dub/reggae/R & B crossover that smacks of summer, laid back ladies…

Dunedin has always been home to an avant-garde version of the New Wave sound that came out of the punk rock explosion of the 1970s. This seems to have continued unabated through the decades, and now I find Saurian. These four guys are unique. I’ve reviewed their previous single, and while I loved that one…