NAUTI 'MOONLIGHT'

Following a hiatus to focus on conscious growth, Nauti is now ready to share the next chapter of his story with the release of his forthcoming album, Gotham; a conceptual album that offers insight into the cause and effect of early exposure to some of life's harsh realities.

Setting the tone is the first single ‘Moonlight’; an introduction to Nauti’s newfound mindset and message with honest observations of the situations Nauti has seen in his dark and gritty home, Central Auckland.

Moonlight’s heavy undertones, hard-hitting percussion, and clear delivery sonically reflect the content of the track where Nauti calls it like he sees it, sharing the transparency of what living in a city of struggle can do to those who live in just that, struggle.

His reflection on the impact of society’s limited beliefs offers a thoughtful message for people to consider. Touching on greed, glorification, false gratification, gangs, and many more areas of concern with intricate word play, Nauti shows no signs of biting his tongue in his journey to share his experience-driven opinions with the ambition to guide youth on a positive path of self-discovery.

“Music helped me, so I want to help similar minded people the same way. Instead of talking about the same old materialistic s**t and the ego, we're just talking about what's going on in the streets of Auckland. Just keeping it real,” – Nauti

‘Moonlight’ is out on all platforms 23rd July.

Listen here.

DAVE DOBBYN CELEBRATES THE RETURN OF LIVE MUSIC WITH OPEN UP TOUR

Dave Dobbyn is welcoming New Zealanders' freedom to come together in music by hosting a series of shows in August.

“My last performance was on Zoom for the Music Helps charity that provides assistance to all those behind the scenes who have lost work. Now I have the opportunity to open up our horizons again, to put the band and crew on the road and bond through real-life gatherings” said Dobbyn.

“We are keeping it intimate for this run but it still means a team of 10 on the road and we can’t wait to make connections and meet people. Loading in gear and packing out at the end of the night has never been more appealing for the production team!”

Dobbyn will perform some hidden gems from his catalogue alongside much-loved anthems, with his long-standing rhythm section of Jo Barus from Christchurch on bass and drummer Ross Burge from Auckland.

Good Will (Christchurch musician Will McGillivray in his first performances since the split of his band nomad) is playing support on all shows.
 

GISBORNE WAR MEMORIAL THEATRE AUGUST 20
WAIPAWA MUNICIPAL THEATRE AUGUST 21
FEILDING CIVIC CENTRE AUGUST 22
WHANGANUI OPERA HOUSE AUGUST 23
PARAPARAUMU SOUTHWARD CAR MUSEUM AUGUST 26
STRATFORD TET KINGS THEATRE AUGUST 28
PUTARURU THE PLAZA AUGUST 29
CHRISTCHURCH BLUE SMOKE SEPTEMBER 4

Tickets onsale from www.davedobbyn.co.nz
Fri 24th July at 9am

Waste Free Wanda Hits Otago Schools

Hāwea singer/songwriter Anna van Riel, aka Waste Free Wanda is hitting the road next week to deliver her one-woman environmental rock opera to primary-aged children in the Central Otago region.

A successful recipient of the Otago Regional Councils ECO Fund, the tour is the first leg of three that will cover the Otago province.

With a focus on reaching rural schools and locations off the beaten track, the show aims to deliver empowering solutions around waste reduction in the form of achievable solutions, easy actions and catchy songs, as well as a storyline that shows children how to be a waste-free superhero in their own backyards.

Anna hopes to partner with festivals, councils and schools wishing to make a positive change around single-use waste.

For event managers and promoters wishing to view a show, please email hello@wastefreewanda.com or head to www.wastefreewanda.com

THOMAS OLIVER - THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT TOUR

Tenfold. & ZM present:

THOMAS OLIVER
w/ full band for the ultimate Thomas Oliver experience
The Brightest Light Tour | Album Tour 2020

The celebrated Kiwi singer-songwriter and 2016 APRA Silver Scroll award winner returns to New Zealand with a stunning run of dates celebrating The Brightest Light album release!

After hugely successful shows in Amsterdam and London Thomas Oliver had the European leg of the 2020 album release tour cut short by Covid 19, when Berlin went into lockdown on the night of the scheduled show.

"We can’t wait to get back on the road and back on the stage after having to come home from our European tour halfway through. And so many beautiful New Zealand venues to play in, too!" - Thomas Oliver

“One of New Zealand’s most talented musicians.” - Ambient Light

“One of New Zealand’s best musicians.” - Pip Squeaks Music
 

05/09 Queenstown - Mardi Gras (sold out)

18/09 Ohakune - Hot Lava

19/09 Ohakune - Mardi Gras (sold out)

26/09 New Plymouth - Butler's Reef

02/10 Christchurch - The Piano

09/10 Tauranga - Totara Street

10/10 Auckland - Hyundai Marine Centre

15/10 Hawkes Bay - Opera House

16/10 Nelson - Theatre Royal

17/10 Wellington - Opera House

 Tickets on sale 7pm Wednesday July 22nd from www.ticketfairy.co.nz

About Thomas Oliver:
Thomas Oliver represents the openness of the mind and the heart, both as a musician and as a human. He touches people's lives in all corners of the globe as he draws a connection between various forms of music that could otherwise be considered polar opposites, and he invites people into an artistic perspective which is entirely unique. His warm demeanour and story-telling on stage are as much a part of his musical identity as his unmistakable falsetto-singing range or his world-renowned touch on the lap-slide guitar, or his celebrated vocal contributions to the genre of Drum & Bass music (for which he was recently a finalist for the Best Vocalist Award at the Drum & Bass Arena Awards). Thomas Oliver is the epitome of the term, “one-of-a-kind”.

Produced in Berlin and released in March 2020 the full-length album The Brightest Light is a colourful and dynamic journey through Soul, Roots, RnB and Folk, and Oliver's distinctive perspective on the world around him. The first single, Bulgarian Mountains (released in October 19), has captured the hearts of many, including the millions of Bulgarians who have seen any of the numerous pieces across the biggest television stations in the country, telling Thomas's story and the story behind the song, inspired by a chance meeting with a Bulgarian girl in Amsterdam named Martina.
First and foremost, Thomas Oliver is a singer-songwriter, and for his songwriting he was awarded the most prestigious songwriting award in his home country of New Zealand (the APRA Silver Scroll Award – Song Of The Year) in 2016, for his hit, If I Move To Mars, from his last studio album titled Floating In The Darkness, which debuted at #6 on the Official New Zealand Music Charts.

About The Brightest Light:
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.
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 it is out in the world.

Soundsplash 2021 - FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT

Raglan’s summer extravaganza Soundsplash is set to celebrate 20th anniversary in style

Headliners include heavyweights 
Fat Freddy’s Drop, Ladi6, Macky Gee,
Mako Road and Montell2099

Raglan’s renowned Soundsplash Festival will celebrate its 20th birthday in style in January 2021, when it returns with a legendary line-up. 
The all-ages eco-focused extravaganza will be held at Wainui Reserve in Raglan on January 22, 23, and 24, 2021. 

Tickets for Soundsplash 2021 go on sale at 7.00pm, Wednesday July 29 from https://ticketspace.nz

Just announced in the first line-up for the Raglan festival are headliners Fat Freddy’s Drop, Ladi6, Macky Gee, Mako Roadand Montell2099.
 
In keeping with Soundsplash’s ongoing commitment to supporting and showcasing rising New Zealand talent, there is also an exciting array of up-and-coming acts, such as Dolphin Friendly, Fairbrother, Flowidus, Heavy Chest, Jinja Cat & King Macka, Masaya, Paige, PollyHill, Poris, RIIKI, Rubi Du, Sin, Soaked Oats, Villette and Zeisha Fremaux. They will share stages alongside well-known Kiwi acts including Che Fu, Concord Dawn, Cornerstone Roots, Deadbeat, Home Brew, Katchafire, K Motionz, Lee Mvtthews, Mt Eden and Troy Kingi. 

More acts will be announced in the coming months. 

Due to circumstances around COVID in 2020, it is yet to be confirmed if the festival will return to Timaru for 2021.

The team behind Soundsplash is excited to celebrate two decades of Aotearoa’s much-loved festival, which strives to create a unique environment bringing together live music, art and culture. The aim of the zero-waste event is to embrace, inspire and influence people of all ages, backgrounds and genders and alongside the talent-packed line-up, will be performance art, workshops and speakers. 
 
"We are looking forward to celebrating 20 years since the first Soundsplash. We enjoy delivering an event that represents live music, arts and culture, whilst creating awareness and appreciation of socially, conscious sustainable ideas and practices,” says the festival’s director, Naomi Tuao.

With its picturesque location, just 500 metres from the beach and a short drive from the Raglan township and some of the world’s most famous surfing spots, Soundsplash is without question one of New Zealand’s most popular summer festivals. 
 
Held across three days, and just as many stages, the community-minded festival will also continue its commitment to its Zero Waste policy. There will also be lots of healthy food options and camping with hot showers.
 
www.soundsplash.co.nz

---

ZM presents Soundsplash 2021
Wainui Reserve, Raglan
January 22, 23, 24, 2021

Fat Freddy’s Drop, Ladi6, Macky Gee, Mako Road, Montell2099

Che Fu, Concord Dawn, Cornerstone Roots, Deadbeat, Dolphin Friendly, Fairbrother, Flowidus, Heavy Chest, Home Brew, Jinja Cat & King Macka, Katchafire, K Motionz, Lee Mvtthews, Masaya, Mt Eden, Paige, Pollyhill, Poris, RIIKI, Rubi Du, Sin, Soaked Oats, Troy Kingi, Villette, Zeisha Fremaux & more to be announced

ARIA 'UNRAVEL'

Good things come in threes, with ARIA’s Unravel being
Abraham Kunin’s third production to come out this month

Khandro Music released ARIA’s Unravel last week.  An ode to vulnerability.  ARIA’s ethereal and earnest vocals weave an eerie melody, writhing above a swell of strings, deep bass and grimy snare.

Retrieved from her vault of songs composed while living in Berlin, ARIA worked alongside Auckland producer Abraham Kunin (The Dalai Lama, Teeks, Homebrew) to bring it to life. Kunin’s producer chops (most recently demonstrated with the release of the Dalai Lama’s Inner world) are clearly at play when the captivating hook of ‘Unravel’ takes flight; a plea for connection and trust, it sways with a hopeful lilt.

This is the second single for solo-Artist ARIA, with the string arrangements and operatic finale paying tribute to her operatic background. A complimentary contrast to her digestible, synth-pop, debut Awake With You. Watch this space for the accompanying visual experience created with Morgana O’Reilly.

ALAE ANNOUNCE HEADLINE DATES FOR NEW ZEALAND IN 2020

Comprised of multi-instrumentalists Alex Farrell-Davey and Allister Meffan, drummer Jayden Lee and bassist Marika Hodgson, New Zealand band ALAE are poised to take their sophisticated brand of indie pop to Auckland’s Tuning Fork on September 19, and Wellington’s Meow on October 10.

Tickets for all shows go on sale at 12pm Thursday, July 16.

For complete tour, ticket and information, visit: livenation.co.nz.

Coming together as a two piece in 2016, Alex and Allister delivered their folk-inspired sound throughout New Zealand. With solo gigs and nationwide support slots for Hollie Smith and a sold-out Auckland show with Boston’s Lake Street Dive, Alae made a strong impact in only a few short months. 

The emotive duo then wrapped a stellar year with the addition of drummer Jayden Lee and bassist Marika Hodgson, performing as a full band with a fuller sound at the legendary NZ Rhythm & Vines Festival. 

Capping off a stellar 2017, the band’s freshly released single “Too Strung Up” was premiered on November 9 by Rolling Stone Australia and launched straight into Spotify’s prestigious New Music Friday playlist in New Zealand, Australia and the United States where followers number over 2.3 million. Further high-profile international playlist additions across the platform helped expose “Too Strung Up” to over 1.4 million new listeners across the world, breaking NZ records for local independent artists on the Spotify service. 

 2018 proved to be another landmark year for Alae, as they a enjoyed a headline national tour and high profile support slots for John Butler Trio and Angus and Julia Stone. The band also released their debut album, Henry St. 

In 2019, thanks to a songwriting pairing between Alae frontman Alex Farrell-Davey and acclaimed US-based producer Justin Gray during the APRA AMCOS Songhubs initiative in Auckland in March, the band were thrilled to announce their record deal with Los Angeles indie label Anti-Gravity Records foundered by Gray, and relationship with Warner Music Canada. The fruits of this new partnership will deliver a new EP in 2020 with the first two singles Hit Me Where It Hurts and Summer Thing gaining huge commercial airplay in New Zealand and over 40 US college radio station adds. The EP was recorded over two weeks in May, in Los Angeles with label co-head Gray whose previous credits include John Legend, Avril Lavigne and Amy Winehouse to name but a few. 

Don’t miss Alae as the head out on their headline tour this September/ October!

SIT DOWN IN FRONT 'CONFESSIONS OF A PIE THIEF'

Gisborne teen punks Sit Down In Front are screaming into earshot and slamming their gritty new album Confessions Of A Pie Thief onto the table.

For their ripsnorter sophomore release, the four-piece took over Roundhead Studios with a hand from hot shot producer Greg Haver, resulting in some mind melting riffage and bass harmony, playing off of every punchy lyric belted out by sixteen year old lead singer Cory Newman.

 Lyrically the album centres around real-life situations, straightforward songs about stealing pies from the school tuck shop, karma, burning sausages on the BBQ or just having a bad day. Their sound is built on the foundations of classic punk rock and they successfully capture the essence and energy of the old while creating their own, new, exciting, youthful sound.

After placing first in the 2019 Smokefreerockquest East Coast regional final they went on to be placed third nationally in the band category of Smokefreerockquest and since have performed and toured Aotearoa with some of their favourite artists including Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel, Villainy, Aussie shed-rockers The Chats, Skinny Hobos, John Toogood, The D4 and Head Like A Hole. Sit Down In Front closed out a successful 2019 with a performance on the Garden Stage at Rhythm & Vines.

Keep an eye out for live shows to be announced soon.