GEORGIA LINES SETS FORTH HER SELF-TITLED, DEBUT EP

Independant Kiwi singer songwriter Georgia Lines delivers a masterpiece in pop perfection with her self-titled debut EP Georgia Lines. Filled with five polished tracks which take the listener on a journey through the shades of modern life and love, the EP is Georgia’s first major milestone in what has been nothing short of a stunning upwards trajectory since her debut single release as George in February 2019.

The brand new track Made for Loving underlines the EP release. Written and recorded in the space of two days in Houston, Texas with Abel Orta Jr (while collaborating via FaceTime with musical cohort Josh Turner, who is based in Mount Maunganui), this effervescent single is Georgia’s testament to trusting her gut, throwing caution to the wind and taking the plunge into unknown territory. With limited studio time left during the last days of the EP record, and a split decision to seize the moment and create something new, that pressure has produced a disco-inspired diamond which shows yet another dimension to Georgia’s singing and songwriting ability.

From the slick pop of Same Things, the indie pop flavour of Never Had Love, 90’s tinged R&B single Vacant Cities, the sparse and emotive electronica of My Love alongside Made for Loving, Georgia’s effortless vocals and songwriting nous weave this EP into a cohesive and stunning release.

“Navigating the process, and getting to release this EP, has taken me quite a long time. I struggled for such a long time with releasing songs because I was so caught up in having to have everything perfect. But through this process, I have learnt so much about myself, about my ability to make decisions and to trust my gut creatively. I’ve realised that people are with me for the journey, and that my sound and songs are always evolving.”

Georgia thrives on collaboration and has worked with local and international artists to deliver her debut. Production and recording sessions in Texas with Abel Orta Jr, songwriting collaborations with Shannon Fowler and Mark Perkins in Auckland, plus Ryan Mulligan and Josh Turner in Mt Maunganui have bought Georgia’s ideas to life and propelled them into new musical territories.

“It is such a privilege to be able to create music and release it. I feel so overwhelmed with support from not only the people around me, but also people from all over the world, who have no connection to me at all and are finding these songs and loving them.”

Born and raised in Mount Maunganui, Georgia Lines’ musical story began with a Rockquest win in 2014. In the last year since the release of debut single, Vacant Cities, Georgia has appeared in over 10 major playlists across the globe, rolled out a single distribution deal in the UK and has amassed over 650k Spotify streams and climbing.

Georgia Lines’ debut ep Georgia Lines is out now through all digital streaming outlets.

SACHI SHARE ADDICTIVE BILINGUAL BOP “ENCHANTÉ” FT NAÏKA

Bursting into the new decade with addictive new single “Enchanté”, New Zealand electronic duo SACHI are back with an assertive spring in their step. Fusing a bilingual bop between English and French, “Enchanté” features Naïka, an extravagant pop singer who grew up between Guadeloupe, Vanuatu, Kenya and Paris.  Listen HERE.

Taking cues from French house, four-to-the-floor disco and their signature pop-tinged electronic, “Enchanté" is an empowering, informal dance floor acquaintance; translating from French to “nice to meet you” in English. 

“When we were writing the song it came out super fun and sassy, like going out to the club and not taking shit from anyone. We spent time in Paris a few years back and that’s just totally the experience we had of Parisian nightlife,” Will says.

Nick adds, “We had been wanting to write a song with a bilingual chorus for a while, and the song came out super naturally when we wrote it with Naika, who’s first language is French. We always try to make songs that make you dance, especially in a live setting with friends.”

Co-written by Naïka and SACHI, ‘Enchanté’s lyricism holds the witty charisma of a girl who’s just been bought a drink in the club before disappearing into the night on her own. The single’s cheeky, blunt sass is expressed the same in SACHI’s productions buzzing dance-pop vibrations. No matter which language is spoken, the confident spirit of ‘Enchanté’ translates universally. 

‘Enchanté’ follows SACHI’s 2019 sophomore EP, Nights With Ruby, which has amassed over 25 million streams. In 2020, the pair have already embarked on a hectic Summer festival run, playing in front of over 100,000 fans at Rhythm & Vines, Northern Bass, Soundsplash, Six60 Saturday’s and many more.

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DEVILSKIN 'RED'

Hard hitting Kiwi band DEVILSKIN release their third studio album, RED, and celebrate with an epic international tour across the United Kingdom and Europe.

RED is the universal colour of passion, vitality, blood, danger, romance, anger, horror and love; everything evocative. Of all the colours, RED is a warning and a statement.
Recorded at Roundhead Studios Auckland mid-2019 with the award-winning team of producer Greg Haver, and engineer/mixer Simon Gooding; this is the bands most complex, complete and confident collection of songs yet.

RED will be released worldwide Friday April 3rd on all formats across all platforms. Included in the release are the following formats

• CD - 16 page booklet in a Jewel Case

• LP - Black 180gm vinyl

• LP - Red 180gm vinyl

• Ltd Edition LP Box Set which includes the following items

  • Red vinyl LP 180gm with full colour inner sleeve

  • Digital download card

  • Full colour artwork box with foam insert

  • 3D Metal badge (50mm)

  • Glossy promo photo hand signed by each member

  • 5 Button badges (30mm)

  • 2 Plectrum picks from Paul & Nail

  • Landscape artwork poster (60mm x 30mm)

The New Zealand four piece - who caught the eye of legendary international booking agent Steve Strange from X-Ray Touring (Alice In Chains, Machine Head, Rob Zombie, Eminem) – will return to the UK and Europe for a 20-plus date tour this April.

The response to the three singles so far from the new album has been nothing short of immense. Latest single CORRODE - released in January - has already amassed over 110,000 views on YouTube, gained radio airplay rotation on notable stations such as Kerrang and Primordial radio and was selected for Spotify’s ‘Rock Out.’ playlist, further proof that RED is hotly anticipated. 

“To say that we are excited for people to hear these songs is an understatement” remarks bassist Paul Martin. “We can all say, quite honestly, that we have put our very best into this album, the songs, the production and the entire presentation, everything is how we wanted it, sincere. Bringing these songs to life in the studio was intense, but extremely satisfying. I think we have surpassed our own expectations and now it’s up to our friends to climb inside this album and explore this beast that we have built.”

DEVILSKIN have garnered a formidable reputation and a solid fan-base worldwide from their relentless touring schedule. A swathe of brilliant live reviews from Europe to USA to Australia are testament to the groundswell of support for this hard-working and focused New Zealand act.

RED starts with a sonic throat punch titled Do You See Birds and promises to enthral the listener with a tour-de-force of emotions and moods. From the epic and eerie Blood & Bone, the caged rage of Same Life, the visceral impact of The Victor, to the poignant beauty of Sweet Release, the resplendent grandeur of Bright Lights, the swagger of Be Like The River and the manic fury of Everybody’s High But Me. DEVILSKIN have long been noted for their emotive song-writing and ability to touch peoples’ hearts, and on RED they have bared their soul with their finest performance yet.

The 11th TAITE MUSIC PRIZE 2020 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) confirms the astounding lineup of finalists for the Taite Music Prize 2020. IMNZ general manager, Dylan Pellett, shares his excitement for the 11th year of the Taite Music Prize, “It’s another sterling year of music represented here - what a talented collection of artists! It shows the extraordinary musical and artistic expression to be found in New Zealand, through the recognition of these great albums - I wish all the finalists every success."

Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of New Zealand’s most respected music journalists, the award recognises outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music contained on one recording. The prize-winner will receive a cash prize of NZ$12,500 to be spent as they wish, thanks to Taite Music Prize founding partner Recorded Music NZ; recording time at Red Bull Studios Auckland; and a year’s supply of Red Bull product. This year’s ten finalists, from a list of 54 nominations submitted by record labels both independent and major from across the country, are:

Aldous Harding - Designer (Flying Nun Records/4AD)
Beastwars - IV (Destroy Records)
JessB - New Views (JessB/The Orchard)
L.A.B. - L.A.B. III (Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa)
Lawrence Arabia - Lawrence Arabia’s Singles Club (Honorary Bedouin Records)
Louis Baker - Open (Louis Baker Music/Ditto Music)
Mermaidens - Look Me In The Eye (Flying Nun Records)
Miss June - Bad Luck Party (Miss June/Frenchkiss Records/The Orchard)
Tiny Ruins - Olympic Girls (Ursa Minor)
Troy Kingi - Holy Colony Burning Acres (Triple A Records)

The three finalists for the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut are:

Tom Ludvigson & Trevor Reekie - Roto (Jazzscore)
Repulsive Woman - Relief (Independent) 
Mousey - Lemon Law (Independent)
 

Winners will be announced at the 11th Taite Music Prize award ceremony April 20th at Auckland's Q Theatre. 

Previous Taite Music Prize finalists returning with their latest albums include; Lawrence Arabia (three-time finalist and winner of the first-ever Taite Music Prize in 2010 for Chant Darling), Aldous Harding (two-time finalist and winner of the Taite Music Prize 2018 for Party), Beastwars (twice nominated for their self titled debut in 2012 and Blood Becomes Fire in 2014), Tiny Ruins (Taite finalist in 2012 for Some Were Meant For Sea and in 2015 for Brightly Painted Ones). 

Alongside the main prize, three additional awards will be presented at the ceremony: the Independent Music NZ Classic Record Award, the newly created Independent Spirit Award, awarded to a New Zealand person who assists our NZ musicians to grow and find their own unique pathways, and the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award, celebrating the freshest talent of Aotearoa. The winner receives a $2,000 cash prize with thanks to Auckland Live.

MONTELL2099 'FORCES'

New Zealand production powerhouse, Montell2099 has returned with his debut EP, FORCES, on RL Grime's Sable Valley record label. The five track EP transforms 2020 into a 2099 future EDM vision, as Montell2099 embarks on his biggest career moves yet.

The new label announcement arrived after Montell2099 returned to New Zealand following a run of North American shows supporting RL Grime on his 2019 US tour, and multiple dates with fellow Kiwi producer, Quix. Montell2099's first international festival set after the release of FORCES will be his biggest milestone yet, playing two weekends at Tomorrowland Belgium.

FORCES’ third single, ‘Rusynth’ featuring RL Grime, is a stellar showcase of the musical chemistry between Montell and the American electronic pioneer, as they get lost in layers of surreal, shooting synths. The EP’s remaining four tracks mould a futuristic forcefield of experimental electronic, injected with subtle hip-hop inflictions.    

“I’ve been following RL Grime for a long time now, so for him to mess with my music is an honor. Seeing the label come together has been dope to watch, it feels like a breath of fresh air in the electronic music landscape,” Montell2099 says. “I was in LA a year ago and we ended up linking up at his crib. We worked on ‘Rusynth’ from there. I think people can listen to the track and distinguish who did what. Henry just knows what works and what doesn’t - you only get that from experience.”

Montell2099 closed the last decade by dropping the project’s first single, ‘STARS’, leading on from his fated Charli XCX ft. Troye Sivan ‘2099’ remix. The astronomical new record reflects the emotion of a surging meteorite crashing into earth, leaving it’s listeners in a dizzying, hallucinatory headspin.

“It feels like the start of a new chapter for me. This EP is definitely a time stamp in my discography, I can look back on it and get a feel for where I was at musically. I’m excited to keep progressing and evolving from here.”

FORCES follows Montell2099’s triumphant run of summer festivals, seeing him bring his entrancing live show to the main stages of Northern Bass, Rhythm & Vines, Bay Dreams Pre Party and more - and before he embarks on his biggest festival look to date at Tomorrowland Belgium, and an Australian tour with What So Not. Montell2099’s debut EP grounds him as a force to be reckoned with on the world stage.

The Wake Up 'Dark Horse'

Palmerston North Pop Rock trio The Wake Up are set to release their stunning new single Dark Horse on March 6th 2020.

Drummer Caleb Hickmott and guitarist Chris Jordan met in 2015 when their individual bands competed on X-Factor NZ. After a short appearance on TV they headed home to Palmy North and decided to start something new. Vocalist Laura McGaffin joined in late 2018, finalising the line-up and bringing their music to a whole new level.

Based on real life experiences, Dark Horse is a song about staying true to what you believe in and not giving up no matter what. It’s about pushing back on adversity, battling on until you achieve your goals and believing in yourself. Produced by Caleb, and recorded at Palmerston North’s Creative Sounds by Nigel Mauchline, Dark Horse reiterates that as long as we are breathing, there will always be more opportunities and we should not give up at the first hurdle.

Stream here https://soundcloud.com/user-294712573/the-wake-up-dark-horse

The Wake Up boasts a style and sound created intentionally to remind you of that great Summer time vibe and Dark Horse is no exception. Dark Horse will feature in an upcoming EP which is set for release later in the year. With live performances also in the plans, now is the time to jump aboard The Wake Up express.

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THOMAS OLIVER 'THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT'

Former Silver Scroll winner Thomas Oliver is releasing his new album 'The Brightest Light' on Friday, 6 March.

I had set out to write a new record in New Zealand where I lived, but I had the distinct sense that I needed to change my surroundings in order to write music that was inspired in a different way. I wanted to write music that felt new to both me and my fans, and I wanted to be inspired by a crazy environment and a new life. So I moved to Berlin, Germany, and set up a studio soon after completing a 19-date European tour. Berlin is unconventional, colourful, and sometimes challenging, which is what made it the perfect place to base myself while I wrote this music. I started writing songs as soon as I touched down; I couldn't help it. I was listening to a lot of Gary Clark Jnr, Son Little and Amos Lee at the time, and those shades are definitely evident throughout. I was also meeting people, checking out live music, and immersing myself in the mellow madness that is Berlin.

For me, having a studio of my own is vital to the creation of an album, because I love to dive deep into the songs and the productions, and explore the dark corners of them all in the small hours of the night. I love to know that I left no stone unturned. 'The Brightest Light' is the result of eight months of diving deep into my musical mind, and exploring my production abilities. Because it is self-produced and self-mixed, I believe it carries a very personal and intimate touch which I find myself drawn to in others' music. I love all sorts of music, but I have a special love for when I can hear a person's mind in the music, rather than a team of people's minds. James Blake, for example; his music sounds like the complexities of one man's mind, and I find that compelling.

The irony of moving to Berlin to make this record is that it doesn't really sound like Berlin at all. You can find anything you want in Berlin, of course, but when I think of Berlin music, I think Alternative Indie Electronic, or Techno, or Metal. But 'The Brightest Light' sounds to me like a combination of Soul, Roots, Folk and Pop, but it certainly carries some of the energy and diversity of Berlin. I also wrote some of this record in Amsterdam, or inspired by encounters in Amsterdam.

My previous album, 'Floating In The Darkness', was a lot darker and more introspective, but this record is more vibrant, more upbeat and colourful, and brighter, which is why I chose the lyrical excerpt from 'You Shine On Me' as the name of the album; 'The Brightest Light'. 'Floating In The Darkness' to 'The Brightest Light' perfectly sums up the trajectory from record to record. My headspace was different for this record; more open and more present.

'She's Mine' is my favourite from the album. It's a bit of a bold statement, which is why I put it as track number one. And I love the distorted vocals, the dirty drums and guitars, deep bass and the dark, rolling groove. I feel that it embodies a lot of things that I love in music. And the process of recording 'Alive Again' was one that I remember fondly. I was back in New Zealand to record my band for the record, and I had this idea of booking the studio, booking the band, setting up our instruments and getting the sounds right, and then teaching to the band a song that I'd written only the day before, and then pressing record right then and there, just to make sure we captured true room energy. No metronome and no rehearsal. And I can't imagine the album without that energy.

Whilst I played most of the instruments on the record, I also worked with some of my favourite musicians from across Germany, New Zealand and Australia, including all of the members of my live touring band. It's definitely an international record. I also co-wrote 'Coffee' with my friend and fellow Kiwi singer-songwriter, Mitch James. Mitch is a master of writing pop hooks, and we had a great session in Berlin when he was visiting, and we ended up with 'Coffee'. I'm stoked to have a touch of Mitch on the album.

This is a singer-songwriter record, but it goes to places that most singer-songwriter records don't go. I'm very proud of it; the writing, the playing, the production and the mixing. I'm very happy to send it out to the world.

KIWI SIBLING FOUR-PIECE THOMAS BROTHERS RELEASE FAMILY-INSPIRED ALBUM TOGETHER

The Thomas Brothers are kicking off 2020 with a bang! 

Recorded over four years, this album truly is a labour of love and a real family project. As the title suggests, "Together" pays homage to all that have played a part in the making of the album, including the boys sister, Esther Ruth, and their dad, David Thomas, who both lent their musical talents to the record. "For us, family is about being real, and so is our music. This album describes what we mean to each other, and the importance of unity. Like we kept saying when recording it, You can go fast alone... or you can go far together!"

The Thomas Brothers really are a band of brothers. Consisting of four siblings, Sam, Josh, Joe and Ben, here’s what you need to know about the brothers in one paragraph:

Samuel - the Go-Getta. Fun fact he studied acting at Australia’s most prestigious drama school and wrote, created and acted in his own feature film Someone To Carry Me. Guess who wrote the score!; Josh - the self-described geek. He’s the only one in the band who enjoys computer technology. Sam writes the song and Josh makes it great!: Joe - the Lady’s Favourite. Constantly teased about his good looks, but his personality is his real hidden talent. Fun fact: Joe worked on Planet of the Apes… not as an extra) and Ben - the talented one. Drums, piano, guitar, vocals - he can pick up any instrument and master it. Speaking of pickups, he’s played competitive basketball in America.

The Thomas Brothers have been playing music together since before they could walk. They released their debut self-titled album in 2016, featuring the songs ‘I Need To Get Home’ and ‘Keep Holding On’.
 
With a musician for a dad, music is in their blood. But it’s not just music that the brothers are passionate about. For them, the visual representation of songs is equally as important, as evidence on their YouTube page, on which their videos have clocked up impressive streaming numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

“We’ve got a lot to say about love, family and togetherness, and we’re passionate about getting our message out there. We’re excited to be releasing our second album... And we’re not going to quit. You can go fast alone… or you can go far together.”

“We hope TOGETHER makes people feel just that - together. It's really important to us that people everywhere can feel loved and included and part of the family. We really are a band of brothers. Nothing is more important than family."