NZ alt-rockers NO CIGAR have today released their third full-length album, UNDER THE SURFACE - a self-described collection of 12 “dark and delicious” songs.
Listen to UNDER THE SURFACE HERE
NO CIGAR’s third studio album, UNDER THE SURFACE contains the already released singles ‘Clean’, ‘Chantilly’, ‘Problem’, ‘Best Behaviour’ and ‘Russian Roulette’; as well as seven never heard before tunes, including the moody and eerie title track, ‘Under The Surface’ - the making of which comes with a cracking yarn.
“The submarine-like guitar gives ‘Under The Surface’ an uneasiness from the get-go. This sense of unease and discomfort is amplified with the megaphone voice sampled from a Police raid outside our Air BnB in Tawa at 2am during a writing session.”
The band further explains that their producer Connor Jaine took upon himself to get the mics rolling, which provides the menacing voice sampled in the song’s intro. “Fortunately the person was not at home and was later found safe, which we learned through local news outlets the next day.”
The title track offers a taste of NO CIGAR’S rockier side, and as the opening song on the record, it sets the scene for the band’s heaviest album yet.
“The song itself is indicative of the vibe change this album represents. We wrote and recorded this album on tour for the most part. One misty evening, halfway up a hillside in Tawa, Wellington, we locked in for a night that produced ‘Under The Surface’ as well as others like ‘Russian Roulette’ and ‘Ketamine’.
Recorded, produced and mixed by Connor; mastered by Andy Baldwin (except for two tracks, which were mastered by Matt Colton), NO CIGAR’S new body of work follows the monumental success of their first two albums - 2022’s BIENVENIDO and 2023’s THE GREAT ESCAPE - which has established them as one of New Zealand’s most exciting new musical exports. It has also seen NO CIGAR touring consistently across the world, which helped the band to hone the sound and vibe of UNDER THE SURFACE.
“The more clamorous portion of this body of work leans into that comfortability we feel with being raw and emotive on stage these days. With that being said, we did not neglect to flex our more pensive and soft-handed songwriting muscles, and there are a few numbers in the LP that shine in this regard. It's a journey. This energy has been brewing under the surface for a while. It's time we lift the veil to this new era of NO CIGAR.”
As part of the UNDER THE SURFACE album release, NO CIGAR have also recorded Live In London video sessions, with the first video out today - ‘Maelstrom’. Watch HERE
Videos will be released over coming weeks (every Sunday from August 10), including ‘Ketamine’, ‘Problem’, ‘Clean’, ‘Chantilly’ and ‘Smoulder’ (from THE GREAT ESCAPE).
The release of UNDER THE SURFACE will see NO CIGAR return to the southern hemisphere for their largest headline shows yet, including an 8-date Australian tour and a three-date NZ tour presented by Eccles Entertainment. The NZ tour kicks off in Wellington at Meow Nui on Friday, November 7, before heading south to Christchurch at Ngaio Marsh Theatre on Saturday, November 8 and wrapping up in Auckland at The Powerstation on Friday, November 14.
Get tickets to the NZ tour HERE