Theia releases fast ‘n’ furious new single ‘Crucified By U’
Theia’s new single ‘Crucified By U’ has landed. A fast ‘n’ furious queer and female empowerment anthem; the celebrated singer and songwriter is not holding back. With its industrial fury and high-energy trap, ‘Crucified By U’ sees Theia return to the full throttle alt-pop sonics and poignant lyricism, with which she’s synonymous.
Theia’s new single ‘Crucified By U’ has landed. A fast ‘n’ furious queer and female empowerment anthem; the celebrated singer and songwriter is not holding back.
With its industrial fury and high-energy trap, ‘Crucified By U’ sees Theia return to the full throttle alt-pop sonics and poignant lyricism, with which she’s synonymous.
“‘Crucified By U’ is for anyone who’s ever been made to feel that their love is tainted and wrong, or silenced by oppressive belief systems,” says Theia.
It comes with a Nas Nixx-directed video, which perfectly captures the hard-hitting message in the song.
“When I wrote ‘Crucified By U’, I knew immediately that I wanted to work with Nas again because I knew she’d get my vision for this song,” Theia says of the LA-based videographer and photographer, who also shot her ‘Celebrity’ video in 2020.
The new single follows last month’s release of the vulnerable and heartbreaking piano ballad, ‘Pray 4 Me’, which shone a light on Theia’s songwriting talents and impeccable vocals.
These new songs are the first from Theia in more than two years, after she took a hiatus to focus on the release of her te reo Māori project TE KAAHU and its critically acclaimed debut album TE KAAHU O RANGI.
She’s now full steam ahead in Theia mode and fans will get the chance to catch the Auckland-based artist with her new band at this weekend’s Splore festival, when she hits the main stage on Saturday night. She’ll also be performing at CubaDupa in Wellington on Saturday, March 25.
Christchurch-born Theia has been making waves since she first emerged in 2016 with her break-out hit ‘Roam’. It paved the way for her self-titled debut EP (2018) and the NOT YOUR PRINCESS EP (2019). In early 2020, she upped the ante with the release of her high-energy mixtape 99% ANGEL, which drew critical praise from the likes of Billboard Magazine. She revealed the mixtape with a headlining slot at Sydney Mardi Gras’ Heaps Gay party just weeks before the COVID pandemic was declared, sending her back to New Zealand for lockdown. She’s now back with a vengeance.
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‘Be Anti-Fascist’, new cassette e.p. from researchintospeed
Available March 3rd on cassette tape and via Bandcamp, ‘Be Anti-Fascist’ is the new release from Te Papaioea’s hardware electronica protagonist, researchintospeed.
Available March 3rd on cassette tape and via Bandcamp, ‘Be Anti-Fascist’ is the new release from Te Papaioea’s hardware electronica protagonist, researchintospeed. With five new tunes rinsed out of the pandemic and endless plans gone awry, researchintospeed’s own-brand of emotional-techno is built to shimmer on the dancefloor and accompany the long summer drive home. For early adopters, the digital-only first single ‘A Taste of Resilience’ (Bandcamp & YouTube) is available now, its sultry late-night vibe perfectly matched to researchintospeed’s layered and languid video, shot around the southern coast bays of Te Whanagnui-a-Tara.
Next Live: researchintospeed’s first live show for the year will this weekend at Burning Horse, the bespoke arts and music festival nestled in the heart of Southland at Waimea. To celebrate the March 3rd cassette release, tune in to youtube.com/@researchintospeed on Thursday March 2nd when researchintospeed will beam four-on-the-floor from their lounge to yours.
Cassette tapes and download codes, no streaming: “I’m stoked for anyone that streaming services work positively for, and a bunch of my stuff is on them… its not without issues…the company controls access and distribution, takes the money, etc...Nothing is perfect, but Bandcamp is the best model I’ve experienced, and I like physical items, so a cassette, some stickers and a download code is the perfect vehicle for researchintospeed.”
Be Anti Fascist: “Community has been the centre of my life for so long, DIY/DIT, Do It Yourself AND Do It Together, if we are able to take action - we should, maybe donate time or other resource, attend a rally, pick up a banner, call out racism, be anti-fascist.”
Machines: “I’m very focused on hardware, I’m kinda a terrible musician, but synths and drum machines make sense to me, so those are my tools. I write, arrange, and perform with the Akai MPC, I have compact digital synths, and for crazy acid leads or glitchy beats a Korg Monologue. It’s all in one case so I can drop into place at the show, plug-and-play, cold-to-hot-four-on-the-floor in less than five minutes, easy.”
“Te Papaioea is THE centre of live hardware electronic music in Aotearoa, just off the top of my head theres SGP, Mirror Stage, Sports Dreams, ABG, Synthetic Children, Ad Hoc, Taakaro Techno Club, the Tiny Club crew and more, there has been a very long held embracing of the synthesizer in the Manawatū, right back to The Skeptics”.
Whats Next? “Having finally completed this recording, I almost immediately wrote a couple of new songs. I’m not a quick composer, so it was a surprise to me! Those tunes will be out mid-year, accompanied by some of remixes, more shows around Aotearoa and ideally back to playing live in Japan again”
info@researchintospeed.org
MURMUR TOOTH & LARS MOSTON RELEASE DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, A LOVE SONG FOR SCIENTIFICALLY LEANING SCREWUPS...
Murmur Tooth & Lars Moston have just released single number four from their upcoming album, "No Time To Explain". “David Attenborough” follows “Antidote”, “Now Is Love” and "Radio Silence" which earned them support from the likes of Claptone, and spots in the Apple Top 10 and German Club Charts.
Murmur Tooth & Lars Moston have just released single number four from their upcoming album, "No Time To Explain". “David Attenborough” follows “Antidote”, “Now Is Love” and "Radio Silence" which earned them support from the likes of Claptone, and spots in the Apple Top 10 and German Club Charts.
In their latest offering the unlikely collab have gone a bit punky, with an electroclash yell-along that combines driving beats and dirty synths with black holes, opposable thumbs and weekends in the hospital. “David Attenborough” is a love song for scientifically leaning screwups.
Music video: https://youtu.be/T-N77UewxFE
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RUFAIs
Murmur Tooth (aka Leah Hinton), a multi-instrumentalist and singer from New Zealand (originally from the heavy metal and classical persuasion) teamed up with British-German House DJ and producer Lars Moston during the pandemic. The duo have been exploring how their polar-opposite musical backgrounds clash and somehow re-form into a unique flavour of quirky Electronic Pop. May 2023 will see the release of 'No Time To Explain’, a full length album of genre-defying songs combining Leah's composition skills and vocal hooks with Lars's production magic. The tracks drip with layered harmonies, and burst with weird and wonderful sounds of half-broken instruments, salvaged childhood toys, and repurposed household appliances.
Iveta & Simone release sensual new single ‘Corazon’
The fantastically fiery duo Iveta & Simone are very pleased to bring you their new single ‘Corazon’. Iveta & Simone are a treat for your ears and a hug for your soul, and the self-penned ‘Corazon’ is a piece of sensual pop with Latin overtones, with a similar vibe to Shakira and Rihanna.
The fantastically fiery duo Iveta & Simone are very pleased to bring you their new single ‘Corazon’.
Iveta & Simone are a treat for your ears and a hug for your soul, and the self-penned ‘Corazon’ is a piece of sensual pop with Latin overtones, with a similar vibe to Shakira and Rihanna.
Based in New Zealand, with years of professional musical artistry behind them, they have amassed thousands of dedicated music-loving followers throughout New Zealand, Europe and Australia.
Iveta was born in Bulgaria and Simone hails from New Zealand and together, they honour the rock, alternative rock, adult contemporary and new age music genres.
Their original songs offer socially relevant content wrapped in catchy melodies. And being masters at covering well-known bands, their live shows transport audiences back to the nostalgia of yesteryear.
Iveta & Simone’s passion is to not only connect with their audience, but to inspire and encourage them at the same time. Life comes with both challenging and wonderful times, and music is always there for us, through it all.
Deva Mahal releases stunning stripped-back and raw love song, ‘Travel With Me’
Deva Mahal has revealed her new single and video for ‘Travel With Me’. A deeply personal and timeless song for the ages, ‘Travel With Me’ is stripped bare and in its truest form, making for an incredibly raw, vulnerable and honest love song that pierces the listener to their core.
+ New EP date confirmed for March 10
Deva Mahal has today revealed her new single and video for ‘Travel With Me’.
Listen HERE and HERE / Watch HERE
A deeply personal and timeless song for the ages, ‘Travel With Me’ is stripped bare and in its truest form, making for an incredibly raw, vulnerable and honest love song that pierces the listener to their core.
“This song is about the accumulation of sleepless nights and empty encounters while travelling on the road as a musician,” says Deva.
“The deep longing for that one person you want to speak to at the end of your night. That one person you wish was next to you when you lay your head down in an empty hotel bed. It's about finding that person to travel the long road of life with. That person who's road meets yours.”
The song depicts the core tenets of a love song of the early 20th Century when all you needed was a voice, a guitar and a microphone, “It shares the essence of my voice without any bells or whistles. It shows that I am not just a singer, but that I am a voice. True and honest. And full of love,” says Deva.
‘Travel With Me’ is the second track that Deva has written with Marika Hodgson, and it was crafted at the haunting hours of 3am, “I wrote it for someone who I loved and never got the chance to share it with,’ says Deva.
Accompanying the single is a video made by Mark Russell, originally recorded as “behind the scenes” footage of the live recording of the track.
“I wanted to capture the real deal and all the intimate moments that occurred while we poured our hearts into the music. I want to invite people into this moment in time and feel how real and personal this song is to me.” says Deva.
The single joins ‘I Want You (For All Time)’ and ‘Run Me Through’ on her upcoming EP FUTURE CLASSIC: VOL 1 – CLASSIC which is confirmed for release on Friday March 10.
See Deva Mahal perform these songs and others when she headlines the Womad Festival in New Plymouth on Friday March 17.
NIGERIAN BORN SINGER/SONGWRITER D.MATTHEWS RETURN WITH ‘JEJE’
D.MATTHEWS, the Nigerian born singer-songwriter, is an idiosyncratic artist, curating his own brand of Afrobeats & Afropop music, worldwide. He blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop, for sounds that are heartfelt, captivating and alluring.
D.MATTHEWS, the Nigerian born singer-songwriter, is an idiosyncratic artist, curating his own brand of Afrobeats & Afropop music, worldwide. He blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop, for sounds that are heartfelt, captivating and alluring. D.MATTHEWS has collaborated with New Zealand producers Edyonthebeat and Shaan Mehta, as well as Ghanaian producer Possigee, who has worked with the likes of Wizkid, Mr. Eazi, Sarkodie and Stonebwoy. He has also worked with and collaborated with Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, Skales. D.MATTHEWS has constantly stayed true & leveraged his cultural origins over the years.
Flying the flag for Afrobeats music in New Zealand over the past few years, D.Matthews was first artist to bring Afrobeats to New Zealand Fashion Week, as well as the first Afrobeats artist to perform at one of the country’s biggest festivals, Splore Festival. His music has also garnered critical acclaim and support from Australian and New Zealand tastemakers, such as Triple J Unearthed, The Beat Magazine and Base FM among others, as he continues to spread the gospel of Afrobeats music down-under, while representing NZ/AU Afrobeats on the global stage.
D.MATTHEWS is very resistant/reluctant to define his musical style. “I make different music for different people. Same thing goes for my sound. Music doesn’t have a stamp for me, as long as you feel it deep down in your soul”.
"The major thing is that, people hear and feel the rawness, realness and authenticity in my songs with goosebumps from that, or being able to dance and rage at the same time. In other words, having a good time with real music".
Matthews says “ I've been ruminating on a strong melody/chorus that would intoxicate and capture a female's heart, mind & soul on JeJe. I woke up, and then came this beautiful morning with a sunrise at 6:32am and I started pouring out fresh lyrical content, and went straight to the studio the next day to wrap the track up so I didn’t lose touch of it finishing the track with the idea in mind, Right there and then”
D.Matthews has an impressive streaming following with over 334,000 plays on Spotify, 228,000+ plays on Apple Music, 128K+ views across Youtube and 21.9K followers on Instagram.
“JeJe” will be released on Friday 24th of February, and will be available Worldwide.
*Social Media Links*
Dillastrate & Tiki Taane team up for empowering new single ‘Way To Flow’
The new single ‘Way To Flow’ from Ōtautahi dream team Dillastrate and Aotearoa legend Tiki Taane is out now and not to be missed!
The new single ‘Way To Flow’ from Ōtautahi dream team Dillastrate and Aotearoa legend Tiki Taane is out now and not to be missed!
Elements of soul, hip-hop, electronica and dancehall mingle effortlessly in ‘Way To Flow’, with a solid and steady groove driving the message of this empowering anthem home. Dillastrate’s Henare ‘H’ Kaa’s lead vocal abilities are highlighted in a colossal bridge section, which gives way to an engaging and energetic synth solo from Dillastrate’s other half Tim Driver. ‘Way To Flow’ builds so brilliantly, it will have you singing along in no time - ‘Don’t you stop dreaming, do your own thinking, do it your way’ - and quickly add it to your ‘repeat listens’ playlist.
“This song is essentially about holding onto your own, expressing yourself as fully as possible, and not giving a f*** what anybody thinks about that,” explain Dillastrate. “It’s a bold and unflinching statement of individuality in the face of those who would subvert your will and diminish your spirit. It celebrates our collective diversity through a bold individual expression that acknowledges the rights of all to do the same.”
This exciting new track was produced and mixed by the legendary Tiki Taane at Tikidub Productions, with additional recording by long-time collaborator Thom O’Connor at Orange Studio. The track was mastered by Benny Tones at Organik Muzik Workz.
“The most exciting aspect of this was working with the Tiki Taane,” says Dillastrate. “His footprint on the New Zealand musical landscape cannot be overstated. We spent a few days in sunny Papamoa working with Tiki in his studio, and it was one of our most comfortable and natural recording processes to date. His deeply honed abilities and studious efforts have brought the song and its message to fruition - and his generosity and shining spirit made it a joy to produce.”
‘Way To Flow’ adds to a canon of tracks that further elaborate and expand Kaupapa Dillastrate - specifically, uplifting individual voices to support a beautifully diverse social tapestry. Dillastrate says that working with Tiki Taane, an artist who practically exudes this Kaupapa, has been crucial to both the song's development and their development as a group.
With lots more to come, make sure you’re following Dillastrate!
30 years in the making & worth the wait! The Transits release new single + video ‘When You Went Away’
Aotearoa New Zealand-South Africa band The Transits have today released their invigorating new single + video ‘When You Went Away’.
Aotearoa New Zealand-South Africa band The Transits have today released their invigorating new single + video ‘When You Went Away’.
Comprising of Ryan Lunn (vocals, guitars, synths), Dom Antelme (vocals, bass) and Tyrone Smith (drums), this catchy new single pulls you in with its rock-infused punk, indie and synth-pop sound, tight performances and slick production.
The trio have been making music together on and off since forming their first band 30 years ago as teenagers in Durban, South Africa. “We’ve been close friends for even longer than that,” says Dom, “it’s like family.” They would practice before, after and even during school, finding inspiration in guitar-heavy pop outfits like Weezer and The Pixies.
Since that first band, each member has gone on to experience careers that have included label signings, live, chart, radio and award success. The decision to get the band back together came about during the pandemic, when they started to write and record together, regardless of being in different countries. Ryan contributed his parts in Durban, South Africa and Dom and Tyrone from Auckland, New Zealand. The band says the timing feels serendipitous, with bands such as Blink-182 announcing the reunion of their original lineup and a resurgence of the vintage pop-punk sound. The Transits time is definitely now!
Being released alongside the single is a stunning video directed by award-winning director Ian Sweeney and produced through Fish n Clips. “The video is a love story that defies death,” explains Dom. “‘When You Went Away’ is about separation and the complex emotions that we all feel when someone leaves, but the vibe of the track is almost a juxtaposition to the subject matter in that it’s got a catchy head-bopping feel to it with some nostalgic 80’s synths, so we wanted to create a video that would heighten the lyrics and feelings expressed. It sees two dead bodies in a morgue come back to life for one last dance. A big shout out to our dancers who kept going despite multiple bumps and scrapes!”