REB FOUNTAIN 'IRIS'
The perfect extension of her 2020 self-titled record, IRIS elevates Reb Fountain’s music to new heights. Reb effortlessly combines pop elements with her trademark noir folk-punk sound; weaving authentic and anthemic tunes that create an instant and indelible impression.
Released last week, New Zealand alternative folk artist, Reb Fountain’s 2021 record IRIS is the award-winning artist’s second release with Flying Nun Records.
The perfect extension of her 2020 self-titled record, IRIS elevates Reb Fountain’s music to new heights. Reb effortlessly combines pop elements with her trademark noir folk-punk sound; weaving authentic and anthemic tunes that create an instant and indelible impression.
Reb also has released the visual counterpart to this week's lead single, and title-track 'Iris'; the video directed and filmed by Lola Fountain-Best.
Reb Fountain has also recently announced her IRIS Album Release Tour of New Zealand.
The songs from IRIS will come to life in iconic New Zealand venues this November/December. Reb and band - including Dave Khan, Earl Robertson, and Karin Canzek - have been astounding audiences around the country since the release of her criticality acclaimed, award winning 2020 eponymous album. From touring with Crowded House, to winning the 2021 Taite Music Prize and knocking it out of the park at the Flying Nun 40th Anniversary gala Reb Fountain is a star of our Aotearoa music scene.
Renowned for her spell-binding live performances, Reb’s IRIS tour is a show you don’t want to miss.
Book your passage, and join Reb Fountain and band for these exclusive performances, premiering her highly anticipated new album IRIS along with other favourite material.
IRIS Album Release Tour NZ
Thursday 25th November - Isaac Theatre - Christchurch
Saturday 27th November - Glenroy Auditorium - Dunedin
Friday 3rd December - Opera House - Wellington
Saturday 11th December - The Civic - Auckland
DEVON WELCH 'INFINITY & BEYOND'
The follow up from his debut release, ‘Infinity and Beyond’ counteracts social human nature and pulls no punches.
The follow up from his debut release, ‘Infinity and Beyond’ counteracts social human nature and pulls no punches. Exported to the world on Sep 25th this record has already been making waves in the lives of those who know this mamae/pain. Reaching out to the heart directly on behalf of the soul, it encapsulates the experience of trauma surrounding loss via suicide. The very word makes most want to turn away, whereas Devon turns to face it head on, for all of us.
Inspired by his late friend Daniel Ginty, he wrote this song the week of his best friends passing before playing it at his tangi/funeral, his hardest gig to date. Starting as a purely acoustic number which then evolved very quickly in a band setting, he then enlisted the help of the supreme Bryn Van Vliet- who arranged an awe inspiring 3 piece horn section and hair raising string quartet to bring us out of our mind and into our emotional centres (a true work of art Bryn).
Diving deep into the core of an issue faced globally and here on our very own front door step, it was not a decision but an anguished stroke of destiny that brought this forward into the physical world. It serves those who have felt this hit close to home, a sense of relief. Creating a safe place to take time to feel those feelings and release it bit by bit over time, from the confines of a broken heart.
You can almost hear the wailing of a human voice in the guitar solo (Jules Blewman) whilst the rhythm section represents the sheer willpower it takes to continue on after a life shattering event like this (Luther Hunt- Drums and Harrison Scholes on bass) with all it’s pushes and pauses.
This piece serves many, on many different levels- But as a parting statement reinforces that we are not promised tomorrow and that it is in our best interests to celebrate and vocalise our love for one another in the here and now, whilst we are able to hear it back.
“If you are feeling down or depressed, talk to someone in your inner circle- or even some one completely impartial if that’s more comfortable. There is some amazing support available. I’ve been to counsellors and clinical psychologists. There’s no shame in feeling like your drowning it happens to lots of us. Things can always get better, start by speaking up.” - Devon Welch
OCTOBER MEMBERS ONLY SESSION - Ollie Wards - Director of Music for Australia and New Zealand at TikTok
The Music Managers Forum Aotearoa are pleased to announce the October Members Online Session and its a good one! Very happy to announce our special guest for October is Ollie Wards - Director of Music for Australia and New Zealand at TikTok.
The Music Managers Forum Aotearoa are pleased to announce the October Members Online Session and its a good one! Very happy to announce our special guest for October is Ollie Wards - Director of Music for Australia and New Zealand at TikTok.
Ollie Wards is TikTok's first Director of Music for Australia and New Zealand. Since joining TikTok in September 2020, he has worked to create opportunities for Australian and Kiwi artists on the platform both domestically and overseas. Ollie is always building ways to deepen the users' experience with music on TikTok and connect them with musicians through multiple avenues including live streaming, music editorial, content creation support or projects like launching a TikTok radio station. Ollie's originally from Auckland and likes to get home to visit whānau as much as possible.
Date: Tuesday 12th October
Time: 6.00pm – 7.00pm
RSVP: For MMF members only lorraine.owen@mmf.co.nz
Note that this session will have more spaces than our usual Members Online Sessions but will still be limited therefore RSVP is essential. Due to the limited places please note if you RSVP and then fail to attend the session without notifying us, unfortunately you will not be eligible for future sessions.
OCEANS BEFORE ME 'CARRY ON THE WALK'
‘Carry On The Walk’ comes as their debut release to include all current artists involved in Oceans Before Me: La Coco, KALALA, MARINA and Vox Dawn.
“Carry On The Walk” comes as their debut release to include all current artists involved in Oceans Before Me: La Coco, KALALA, MARINA and Vox Dawn.
Oceans Before Me is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting, educating and empowering communities through music, elevating indigenous narratives and methods from the South Pacific and the world. OBM is a Whakapapa (genealogical) project, focused on Rangatira and Rangatahi connection: renowned and esteemed orators, lyricists and songwriters, mentoring a new generation of narrators to guide the next.
Created with the support of their mentors, the waiata “Carry On The Walk,” as well as their upcoming album “Daughters of the Dawn,” are testament to what united healing can achieve. The album is focused on addressing history to honour not a perspective but the autobiographical realities of the marginalised communities affected.
“Daughters of the Dawn” concentrates specifically on one of Aotearoa’s most significant national traumas: the 1970’s Dawn Raids. The Dawn Raids were the fundamentally racist, forced displacement, disconnection and disruption of marginalised communities, particularly towards our Pacific peoples. Only this year, half a century later was there an official apology made by the government to acknowledge this shame, marking the importance of Ocean Before Me’s purpose.
The entirety of “Daughters of the Dawn” was guided by Panther members and inspired by the vāhine in the movement, specifically Melani Anae, Miriama Rauhihi Ness, Etta Gillon and more. It serves as an incredible witness of what intergenerational healing looks like, uniting and passing on an unbreakable bond of strength and perseverance.
The emphasis of an all vāhine artist project, hence the name “Daughters of the Dawn,” was an informed choice, showcasing from the vāhine perspective, “the Dawn Raid stories also told from their own mothers, grandmothers and aunties whom settled in a land that promised much and in the same breath declined them.”
“Carry On The Walk” begins with chilling samples of the movement’s leaders, before a smooth backbeat enters. Lyrics which harness deep layers of intergenerational resilience are paired with vocal harmonies transcended through their lineage. Each of the four artists showcase their gifts, from established spoken-word poet and facilitator MARINA’s truths and La Coco’s Waiata Maori
Award-winning vocal artistry.
Barring unforeseeable COVID-19 restrictions, OBM plan to take the fruits of their shared mātauranga (knowledge), wānanga (workshops) and creative sessions throughout Aotearoa, visiting secondary schools, alternative learning spaces and community organisations. These initiatives will be based around their central kaupapa: “enabling generations to heed the stories that heal... hauora, the healing returned when reconnected.”
PAUL THE KID 'CASH MACHINE / BOY / BOMBAY'
“I am super proud of this EP. I wanted to make a new sound blending punk, reggae and electronica production techniques together to create heavy bangers. It’s a new territory for me and it was so much fun making it over the few months earlier this year.”
I am super proud of this EP. I wanted to make a new sound blending punk, reggae and electronica production techniques together to create heavy bangers. It’s a new territory for me and it was so much fun making it over the few months earlier this year.
This EP for me is a cohesive collection of three tunes that were produced and mixed over a short period of time. It was all recorded and produced in my bedroom, admittedly kinda roughly but it sounded cool so I rolled with it. I usually mix everything myself but I needed to step back for a bit and brought in my good friend Oman to polish and bring it to life. This was done over a couple of months due to our horrendous sleeping schedules and hangovers - also my unreasonable tendency to over analyse every tiny detail… that lesson is still in progress!
CASH MACHINE is a cover of Oliver Tree that I pop'd up a bit. It is lighter, faster and more serene - mainly because I didn't drop D the guitars so it naturally took on a different vibe. I love the original and wanted to emulate it pretty closely with my own flavour and style which is guessing - A LOT. I don’t really know if the harmonies are the same and I changed some words here and there as well, but for the most part it is very similar. I love it because it is really true to the original but feels fresh and unique at the same time. I learnt a lot about production whilst recreating this and it has made me a better producer for it.
BOY is HEAVY AF and my favourite tune off the EP. Inspired by the new alt sound I wanted to push people into the ground on the drops and it backed up my depressive state of mind over the last 6 months. I love punk rock and heavy bass lines so this is the blend of a new sound. Again a bit rough in places, almost like it’s live but with super polished distortion and massive production, I love that about this tune.
Lyrically it’s a lot deeper and more heady than it may come across. Each line kind of contradicts the previous, much like the duality of the Universe. “Loving you makes me so uncomfortable” sounds like I am talking about a human but I’m actually talking about the terror of seeing the void, the nothingness, the meaninglessness of everything. This idea is done to death in philosophy and I do wish I let the sleeping dog lay, but they tell me that I’ll work it out.
BOMBAY was written over a long time. I started it while living in London over 2 years ago and I finally had the time to really put in the work once back home in NZ. I love the blend of reggae skanks, 808 bass lines and grungy guitar tones. Melancholy summer vibes was the goal and by gosh it captures exactly how I felt during the summer of 2020. This one is a road trip bop - take me outta the city!
Fun fact the lyric “If you take me out the city, baby I’ll give you that ice-cream” comes across sexually but it isn’t meant to. So, after you leave Auckland and get over the Bombay hills there’s a dairy that sells 10 scoop ice-creams and one of my best friends (and ex-girlfriend) always went there to devour the biggest ice-cream ever witnessed - it’s a really beautiful memory of sharing time with her and is also why I have incorporated Japanese text on the album art.
Special thanks:
Cheers to my brother Simon, Tommy C, James, Roman, Antony, Kallum, and all my family and friends! Y'all pick me up when I'm down and push me to keep making new sounds and mixes <3
Cassa - So Long
Returning to the music scene having already established a successful career in theatre all over the world, Aotearoa born Cassa (Cassandra McCowan) has returned home to release her first single ‘So Long’.
NZ theatre superstar Cassa returns home to launch solo music career with her debut single ‘So Long’
Returning to the music scene having already established a successful career in theatre all over the world, Aotearoa born Cassa (Cassandra McCowan) has returned home to release her first single ‘So Long’. Cassa opened for Sting and Rod Stewart before moving to London to fulfil her lifelong dream of the West End, becoming an original cast member for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ’School of Rock’. From performing 8 shows a week at the top of her game to returning home to lockdown and uncertainty, Cassa took stock of her years on this planet and found inspiration and connection to music again from her homeland. With a degree in classical music and a Masters of Arts, a daily playlist ranging from grime to grunge, jazz to screamo seems out of place. But this breadth of musical knowledge has helped to mould a unique pop sound, true to her genuine love of music. Linking up with FiveAM sound and producer Dan Martin helped bring some of her ideas to life, which has accumulated in her first EP..
‘So Long’ talks about the delayed emotional response to a relationship ending and the sad reality of conditional love. Combining soaring vocals with catchy and raw lyrics, Cassa’s pop career will be only one notch on her musical belt.
Jesse Wilde 'Rambling William'
Jesse was raised in New Zealand on the music of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, and Fleetwood Mac. He wrote this song after driving Route 66 and stopping at a town called Fort Sumner's in New Mexico where the Notorious outlaw Billy The Kid is buried.
Jesse Wilde Bio:
Jesse was raised in New Zealand on the music of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, and Fleetwood Mac. He went on to develop his own musical interests including the sounds of popular Rock and Southern Rock artists such as Springsteen, Mellencamp, and Dylan and the vibrant up tempo alternative southern rock beat of Steve Earle & the Dukes. The result is the unique Southern Country Rock Americana flavour of Jesse Wilde. Jesse's first major band was the well known Acoustic Attitude which played a very successful mix of popular covers and original songs. Jesse has toured extensively overseas including the UK, Europe and North America. During a ‘Rock Pilgrimage’ of his musical influences, he met and played with John "Cougar" Mellencamp, Bob Seger and Steve Earle. Jesse spent several months writing and performing in the US. He co-wrote the song ‘Ghost Town Road’ with Rick Beresford who has a gold record for a song he wrote for George Jones titled ‘If Drinking Doesn’t Kill Me her Memory will. Jesse Wilde based himself back in Auckland and formed a band ‘Fiesta Drive’ which enjoyed much success in New Zealand, playing a large number of successful gigs all over the country. Jesse’s current band The Jesse Wilde Band and The Wilde Storey trio have played many successful gigs. Off stage, Jesse has built his own professional ‘state of the art’ Recording Studio and Venue (Studio 38) where he records and mixes some of his own albums as well as those of many other popular New Zealand and international artists.
About Jesse Wilde's new Single 'Rambling William'
I wrote this song after driving Route 66 and stopping at a town called Fort Sumner's in New Mexico where the Notorious outlaw Billy The Kid is buried. After viewing his grave stone and a museum built in his honor I had a dream that night that Billy and I were friends, back in the days of old. I woke up, picked up my guitar and this song just flowed out. It's a story song and in my version of the events, Billy is a misunderstood good guy and, with my help, he gets away from the authorities and settles in Mexico!
Bandcamp Link: https://jessewilde.bandcamp.com/album/jesse-wilde-headin-south
Spotify, Apple Music & Itunes Link: https://smarturl.it/jwilderw
CHAII returns with fresh new single ‘GET IT DONE’
Amidst a sparse, menacing production, ‘Get It Done’ allows CHAII’s unique, and hypnotic flow to take centre stage.
from the forthcoming ‘Pineapple Pizza’ EP
Rising multifaceted artist CHAII has unveiled new single ‘Get It Done’ - produced by Frank Keys and out September 24th.
Amidst a sparse, menacing production, ‘Get It Done’ allows CHAII’s unique, and hypnotic flow to take centre stage. It follows the artists’ recent successful collaboration with Party Favor on 'Oh Nah Yeah' and July's single ‘Might Just’ (which features Auckland rappers Kings and eleven7four). 'Get It Done' is set to appear on CHAII’s forthcoming ‘Pineapple Pizza’ EP, due out later this year.
“Put in work and see where it takes you, there's no limit on how far you can go - no matter where you're from.” - CHAII on new single ‘Get It Done’
On the creation of the video CHAII says: "We shot the video spontaneously during a day we were filming some 'behind the scenes' content at my friend Abe Mora’s Film studio. I got bored and thought it would be cool to create a music video for ‘Get It Done’ instead. We ended up shooting a 'one shot' music video which really compliments the vibe of the song. These impromptu moments are very special to me - a music video would usually take us a few months to plan, prep and make."
A performer, writer, producer, audio engineer and video director, CHAII is a fearless artist providing a strong voice for her generation. Her music has featured in ads and soundtracks for some of the biggest brands, such as the iPhone 12+ launch, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, FIFA 2021, FENDI’s global online campaign FENDIVA to name just a few.
‘Get It Done’ is the work of a nascent talent headed for big things.