Music
Emerging Aotearoa artist Nivaryn Dane strips it all back on The Rope, a raw, slow-burning alt-country ballad that leans into quiet storytelling, emotional weight and stillness. Just 24, Dane carries an old-soul intensity that evokes the likes of Neil Young and Leonard Cohen, but with a distinctly
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Dunedin-based artist ORPHEU5 leans into the strange, sensual and synthetic on new single Dark Love - a shimmering slice of progressive pop drenched in 80s synth nostalgia and postmodern attitude. The track marks a bold step for the emerging project, created as a space to experiment with accessible yet boundary-
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Auckland-based indie rock artist Adnan Ahmed, the mind behind Hazy Way, returns with A Stranger at Home, his fourth EP and most introspective work yet. Blending blues, psych-rock, and indie textures, the project dives into questions of identity and belonging with a rich, atmospheric sound. As a Bangladeshi-
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Wellington songwriter Hanne Jøstensen shares The Lighthouse, a deeply personal, self-produced single that ties her Norwegian heritage to her life in Aotearoa. It’s the lead track from her upcoming EP and a meditation on legacy, connection, and home. Opening with six lines sung in Norwegian over a single
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With her new single Mother’s Mother, Aotearoa artist alayna opens a door into something both intimate and expansive. It’s a tribute to the generations of women who came before her, and a powerful reflection on legacy, love, and lineage. Known for her ability to turn vulnerability into strength,
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Wellington alt-rock band Jazeerabad share 'Damsel (No Place for Secrets),' the standout track from their debut EP Narcissus. It’s a fast-paced, raw anthem diving deep into heartbreak, impulse, and the messy aftermath of loss. Fronted by Mohammad Kunwar, Jazeerabad fused alternative rock with nu-metal,
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Wellington artist Joseph Pod returns with Starsign - a groove-heavy track that blends Afrobeats, early 2000s R&B, and melodic hip hop into something heartfelt and hypnotic. Created with local production duo Internxtional, Starsign leans into themes of timing, connection, and energy. With its smooth rhythms and warm, bouncing
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Ōtautahi alt-pop artist, producer, and APRA Silver Scroll nominee Emily C. Browning has unveiled her long-awaited debut album PRIMARY - an 11-track statement of intent, built over five years of fiercely independent creation. Written, recorded, and produced largely from her home studio, PRIMARY is both a coming-of-
Review
There’s something infectious about Big Milk, the debut album from Nelson trio Shedheads. Equal parts groove-heavy mischief and alt-rock conviction, the album bounces and snarls through its runtime with the kind of swagger that recalls the funk-punk peak of the late ’90s—delivered with a distinct
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Tāmaki Makaurau-based artist Victoria Perry makes her debut with ‘Every Wish’ — a gentle, emotionally layered track that doesn't overreach, yet leaves a lasting impression. Out now on all platforms, it introduces Perry as a songwriter capable of holding space for nuance, conflict, and quiet honesty. With a
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There’s a looseness to NO CIGAR’s new single ‘Clean’ that feels intentional. Not slack, just unbothered. It’s the sound of a band that knows what they’re doing and doesn’t need to overplay it. With ‘Clean’, the Auckland five-piece ease into a more subdued pocket.
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Auckland/London post-punk outfit Napoleon Baby pull no punches on their debut album ‘Everybody’s Watching and Nobody Cares’. Equal parts protest and provocation, it’s a sharp, lo-fi statement from a band unafraid to say the quiet part out loud. Built on raw guitar work, biting lyrics,
