DAUGHTERS OF THE DAWN 19.11.2021

After a dedicated 2 years of collaboration with the Polynesian Panthers and Pasifika creatives of excellence, the vāhine of Oceans Before Me – KALALA, La Coco, MARINA and Vox Dawn – gift us a revelatory project of historical awakening and healing: “Daughters of the Dawn”.

“Daughters of the Dawn” responds to one of Aotearoa’s most significant national traumas, hurt and shame: the 1970’s NZ Dawn Raids. The Dawn Raids were the fundamentally racist, forced displacement, disconnection and disruption of marginalised communities, in particular - Pasifika peoples. Only this year, half a century later, was an official apology made by the Crown to acknowledge this violence, marking the importance of Ocean Before Me’s purpose.

Through song, poetry and connection, “Daughters of the Dawn” retells community realities of this suffering and its current day consequences. Whilst recounting these hard truths, the project also speaks to intergenerational healing, strength and solidarity, under the guidance of the Panthers, the lives of the Vāhine sisters in the movement, Melani Anae, Miriama Rauhihi Ness, Etta Gillon as well as kaumātua and families direct from those frontlines. 

The emphasis of an all vāhine artist project, hence the name “Daughters of the Dawn,” was a thoughtful choice, showcasing a perspective that only vāhine can honour, of “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.”

Existing singles on “Daughters of the Dawn,” La Coco’s “Gone” and the group’s “Carry On The Walk” have received coverage across a vast range of media outlets, from NZ Musician, UndertheRadar, 95bfm, and a multitude of Pasifika networks such as TP+ (Tagata Pasifika) and 531pi. For the album, the artists will also likely get support beyond these local and Pasifika outlets, through talks with journalists in Melbourne and Hawai’i.

Barring unforeseeable COVID-19 restrictions, the artists with their mentors hope to take the fruits of their shared mātauranga (knowledge), wānanga (workshops) and kaitito (creative sessions) throughout Aotearoa, visiting secondary schools, alternative learning spaces, prison institutions and other 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.”

“Mother’s Design” is one of the ten tracks off the project that honours this story-telling. The song is dedicated to the Vāhine sisters in the movement and shares KALALA’s mother Paina Falanika Sione’s generational wisdom. “Mother’s Design” nods to the matriarchs which have empowered KALALA and of course, the community. With smooth strums and rustled flair, “Mother’s Design” reminds us that we are the unapologetic fire, design and legacy of an intergenerational miracle.

The conversation to "Carry on the Walk"  is the inevitable existence to take on the baton, to hold fast and carry on in the same strength, resilience and perseverance as those before us did. As Polynesian Vāhine today, we are forever indebted to them, we are "Daughters of the Dawn"

Goodspace drop trip-hop driven track ‘Kicking Stones’

Tāmaki Makurau’s Goodspace team up with Italy-based animator Ehsan Mehrbakhsh to create a universe of lo-fi, trip-hop surrealism on their new single, ‘Kicking Stones’. 

Written, recorded and produced by the group in their home studio in Auckland (NZ), the 4-piece once again show their love for blending genres by diving deeper into hip-hop influences while still retaining a rock’n’roll edge. This evolved sound is illustrated by the continuously changing, surreal animations of the music video which in turn explore themes of false first impressions and upturned expectations. 

Having been more than a year since their last release, Goodspace set the vibe for their upcoming album.

Stream audio HERE

ZËxÏÏ celebrates Six60 Scholarship win with the banger NZ needs right now

You could say this week is a week of fresh starts for rising RnB star ZËxÏÏ, with news of being named as a recipient of the inaugural Six60 Scholarship as well as the release of his latest single, Done.

Fittingly, Done is an ode to leaving tough times behind and brand new beginnings and while his own spirits have already been lifted by the $10,000 that come with his scholarship, he hopes his track will be something positive for all New Zealanders.

"New Zealand is really going through it right now and I wanted to make an uplifting anthem, something to boost people's morale and not just another down-buzz sad song."

Straight off the back of the simultaneously smooth and funky Indigo, ZËxÏÏ's second release, in what is a linked pair, features a flawless vocal cameo by Henry Beasley from indie-pop darlings Balu Brigada.

This combination of voices and attitude has resulted in three minutes of dance-floor ready pop that's sure to worm its way into the ears and hearts of Kiwis this summer.

Hot on the heels of the release of Done will be a music video ZËxÏÏ says is inspired by the spirit of other trail-blazing local artists Kings and Six60.

“This video is what happens when a bunch of students have a huge dream, a lot of drive and zero budget. I feel like Kings when he shot his video on his phone or like Six60 when they made music in their flat - there's nothing that hits hard like using your limitations to make something beautiful.”

Link to ‘Done’

ISLA NOON Presents “I NEED TO GO HOME”

Electrifying songstress Isla Noon elevates her music to the next level with the release of her third single ‘I Need To Go Home’. With this follow up to her ‘ear worm of a track' ‘Talk About Us’ Isla Noon solidifies her unique, and highly addictive, brand of high-brow pop - mesmerising audiences in New Zealand, Australia and beyond. 

‘I Need To Go Home’ transports us to a ‘night out on the town’ with friends - with being out of sync with the mood of the party and the abrupt realisation that it’s not your scene in the slightest (“Am I the only one here who feels like they’ve woken to a bad dream?”). When we find ourselves in a place where we feel no sense of belonging there is often a real urge to escape it. The lyrical journey of ‘I Need To Go Home’ captures the inner chaos of attempting to fit into the crowd whilst honouring those intense gut emotions that signal that you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Isla Noon is fast making a name for herself by cleverly packing emotionally charged lyrics into danceable anthems. 

‘I Need To Go Home' is the result of Isla Noon's long running collaboration with co-producer Maude Minnie Morris  (LEXXA, VALKYRIE, XEMO) - who has occupied the producer’s chair for all of Isla Noon’s releases to date. The pair are clearly onto a winning recipe here, cleverly blending a perfect ratio of 80’s inspired drums, analog synths with sophisticated and polished pop vocals that soar above the music - entrancing the listener from the get go.

‘I Need To Go Home’ is accompanied by a slick music video directed by Swap Gomez and Oshara Ardelean – which deftly captures and enhances the mystique and intrigue of Isla Noon. Shot ‘guerilla style’ - hand held camera, dodging night duty security guards - to capture the industrial playground and expansive landscapes of her hometown; the visuals are evocative, raw and reflective. Bringing a new physicality to the project that foreshadows her ‘on-stage’ presence. Isla Noon’s performance is both energised and committed.

Speaking on the making of the track, Isla Noon says “There’s an urgency to the emotion of this song that spilled over into every other element of the songwriting and production. I wanted to capture that urgency and bottle it, wrap it in a rhythmic feel that makes you want to move to it - embrace uncomfortable moments in life that teach you something about yourself, and push you in to taking action”

 ‘I Need To Go Home’ is pure, unshakeable ‘Isla Noon’. Big chords sonically charged with synthesiser blasts and funky guitar flourishes providing a platform for huge and undeniable lead vocals, just waiting to immerse the listener.

Smart URL

JP IS BACK WITH A HOT NEW SINGLE “PULL UP”

Pull Up encompasses themes of body agency, money, power and revenge. 

JP promiscuously lures in the listener and teases the imagination with PULL UP, a sexy RnB/Pop track that's reminiscent of the late 90’s and 2000’s.

Produced by the talented Abraham Kunin (Teeks, Home Brew, Phodiso, Freddy Reynold), PULL UP hat tips to some of JP’s favourite artists growing up such as Usher, Craig David and even Destiny's Child, while locking into a beat and groove set on seducing contemporary audiences. The acoustic guitar combined with a steady but hard-hitting drum pattern creates a vibe that is decisively sexy, mysterious, and exciting. 

JP was the opening act for international award-winning icons Eric Bellinger and Sean Kingston, as well as executing a SOLD-OUT season for his 2020 debut theatre show “I AM | THE SHOWCASE”. JP is a triple threat. As a Law & Arts graduate from the University of Auckland, a TVNZ Popstars Top 12 Finalist and, more recently, an Actor, saying that JP is diverse is an understatement. 

It’s been 3 years since we heard from JP as a recording artist. When asked about his return he said: “I needed to experience a few hardships to become resilient enough to carve out my own path in this industry. I’m now more confident in my talent, uniqueness and vision. I wasn’t ready earlier, but I am now.” 

PULL UP is the perfect teaser for what’s to come from this South Auckland emerging Artist.  

Country music star Ainslie Allen releases debut album BETTY and new single, ‘Mama Says (Breaking Rules)’

Ainslie Allen has today released her debut album BETTY and new single ‘Mama Says (Breaking Rules)’.

Following a tumultuous past couple of years, BETTY marks a massive career highlight for Ainslie, and one the well loved country singer is extremely proud of.

“From the get go, I had to work hard to cover all costs from recording, mastering, artwork, photo shoot, manufacturing, publicity, and travel,” says Ainslie.

“My friends supported me by singing and playing at fundraising concerts, I sold costumes, wigs, shoes, I sold raffles, and made T-shirts, we printed flyers and did letterbox drops to get the funding I needed to complete BETTY.”

Ainslie continues, “Life is sometimes a hard wake up call, having so much to juggle and to come out the other end with an album full of stories to be told, I’m very proud. I’m standing by all of this, as this is what has made BETTY.”

Alongside the album release she has also released the lead single, ‘Mama Says (Breaking Rules).’

“‘Mama Says (Breaking Rules)’ started as a co-write, and grew into a kick-arse country song with vocal harmonies reminiscent of our native indigenous brothers and sisters of the U.S. Conjuring up visuals of smoking tyres, Steve McQueen, a two-timing lover, and a woman strong enough to break free.”

BETTY contains the already-released singles ‘Done and Gone’, ‘You Think You’re (Better Than Me)’ (both chosen for NZOA New Tracks) and ‘Maserati’ and a host of new songs, which leave no question - 2021 is Ainslie Allen’s year!

From a young age, Ainslie Allen (Rongowhakaata) honed in on her talents. Her first professional singing engagement was for Sir Edmond Hillary, and with a passion for country music, she successfully competed throughout New Zealand, channeling the spirit of Patsy Cline and became known as 'the crazy girl’.

She won her first guitar at the age of 12 and at 16 she went on to win Smokefree Rockquest’s most prestigious Female Musician Award, the same year she starred in McDonald's Young Entertainers, a hit New Zealand TV talent show, making 'Ainslie Allen' a household name.

As an Independent Country artist, Ainslie released her debut EP THE A-SIDES in November 2013 before joining forces with Elvis Presley's TCB band members and Sir John Rowles for a tour of Hawaii and New Zealand in 2014.

Other career highlights to date after a 6-year hiatus other career highlights are playing the MAIN stage at Rhythm and Vines 2020, being part of Waiata Anthems Week 2021, and a finalist for Best Māori Wāhine Solo Artist at the Waiata Māori Music Awards 2021.

Ainslie is NZ Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a double graduate of the 2018/2019 CMAA Academy of Country Music. She is 7 x finalist for the NZ Gold Guitar Awards 2019.

Ainslie Allen - BETTY - out now.

Find Ainslie Allen:

Website / Facebook / Instagram
Twitter / YouTube

Parabola West ‘Hannah’

On listening to the new single ‘Hannah’, you’ll realise that Parabola West is quite unlike any other artist creating music in New Zealand right now. Melding art with science, the past with the present, she creates something quite unique.

Parabola West is the artist name of New Zealand-based singer and songwriter Amy Tucker West. Her sound is a lush blend of folk and electronica; often piano-driven, with hints of Celtic and Norse influence - and a dash of fantasy. 

To add a twist to her songs, West is a self-confessed ‘math and science nerd’, saying that she experiences music as ‘a combination of emotion, science, and math – a mixture of precise structure and imperfect elements.’ The way a parabola can be used to focus light onto a fixed point (the magnifying glass trick used to start a fire with the sun), West uses those principles to focus emotions into music, hence the name.  

Think of Parabola West as mixing Loreena McKennitt with your favourite female-fronted synthpop band, and then adding a dash of Middle-earth.  

Originally from the East Coast of the USA, West began songwriting on piano as a teenager, and at 21 she was recruited into the London-based trip-hop band Dreamfield when they were recording in Boston. The band split in 2003 after two critically acclaimed releases, and West relocated to New Zealand. 

West then took a 10-year break from the music industry to work in the IT and engineering recruitment field, returning to her musical roots in 2013 as solo artist Parabola West.  She took the step of moving ‘completely off-the-grid’ to a rural spot on New Zealand’s rugged West Coast where she currently resides and works. 

Through her utterly unique style, Parabola West has gained fans the world over, including 24k Facebook followers. In May 2015 her track Fire was selected as NZ On Air’s Wildcard Funding recipient, and she has released two EPs, 'Did You Hear' (2014) and 'Purity of Wekness' (2017).

About ‘Hannah’ 

Caught between the physical and spirit worlds, Hannah has dabbled too much, wandered too far, and is lost. Will she lure those who search for her into the same fate?  

West says, “Recorded at A=432Hz for healing frequencies [the standard frequency is A=440hz], the song features medieval instruments such as hurdy-gurdy, Nyckleharpa, and timpane, as well as modern production tricks to make it a bit spooky and darkly ethereal. I’m releasing ‘Hannah’ on the full moon of November 19th for maximum lunar power – let’s manifest it!”  

‘Hannah’ is the second single in 2021 to be released release ahead of Parabola West's debut album, which will be a beautifully rendered multimedia fantasy art project that promises to be a feast for the eyes and ears of her fans.  

The song was produced by Scott Newth of BLKHUS Studio and mastered by Chris Chetland of KOG Studio. 

The music video for ‘Hannah’ was shot by local filmmaker Andy Duggan in West's hometown of Raglan and stars the rugged West Coast beach.   

Reviews 

“Her music sits comfortably in the same territory as Aurora, Eivør, CHVRCHES, Lu Flur, Agnes Obel, Loreena McKennitt, Sjón, and even Bat For Lashes. With such immense talent, it was just a matter of time before Parabola West’s music would reach American shores.” The Big Takeover 

"Just brilliant... ancient folk in electronic pop dreamery. An uplifting recipe when submerged in electronica, which she has flawlessly achieved here... merges the common denominator between Irish/Scottish and Scandinavian influences, with melodies that are stuff of fantasy" – The Spill Magazine 

"A sublime blend of folk and electronic influences which is taken to another level when combined with the beautiful and haunting vocals of Amy Tucker. Part Eivør, part CHVRCHES, but very much original" – AnalogueTrash

"A very accomplished and talented songwriter, with an ear for a deceptively simple but often stunning song. Extraordinary talent, both as a songwriter and performer" – NZ Musician

REI 'ENJOY THE RIDE'

‘Enjoy The Ride’ Pt.1 is the latest album from Aotearoa’s good mood tāne, Rei.

‘Enjoy The Ride’ shows Rei’s diversity and prowess as a musician and producer with its mix of rap, pop, R&B and UK flavour, it’s a fusion of innovative styles. Written over the past 2 years, mixed and mastered by Kog Studio’s Chris Chetland and supported by NZONAIR, this project is a musical ride in itself.

‘I used to put a lot of my success and happiness into external career achievements, like stream numbers or awards. Enjoy The Ride is about learning to have fun in the process, rather than being always hung up on end goals.’   

With Pt.2 of the album coming in 2022, this release includes ‘Hoki Mai/Come Back’, ‘Sweat’, ‘Give Love’, ‘Borderline’, ‘Die Happy’ and the new lead single 'Chasing The Sun'.  This tune has a summer lush vibe that showcases the silken vocals of Kiwi/Aus-based singer, Isadora and sets a pace for the rest of the songs.  ‘Enjoy The Ride’ also features Rydah and Tāne as well as a Pacific/Māori chorus on the feel-good track ‘Wave’. (Sandy Mill, Huia Hamon, Sam V, Mikey Mayz, Eli Wilson).

Rei has a full 2022 summer ahead (Splore, Sound Valley and more to be announced). He’s lit up stages at RnV, Soundsplash, One Love, Kotahi, Splore and AUM. 2021 also saw Rei touring nationwide with the Sweet Mix Kids and opening for Netsky at the sold-out arena show. Get On The Waka!

enjoy the ride!