LOST TRIBE AOTEAROA RELEASE EP ‘LOST & FOUND’ + LEAD TRACK ‘STRANGE THINGS’
‘Lost & Found’ is a five track EP featuring hit singles ‘Reflections’, ‘Lost Generation 2.0’, ‘Legacy’ and ‘Shaka’. To support the release today Lost Tribe Aotearoa (LTA) drop their new lead single and music video ‘Strange Things’.
Today (Friday 26th of May), conscious roots rockers Lost Tribe Aotearoa (Tūwharetoa) release their new EP ‘Lost & Found’
‘Lost & Found’ is a five track EP featuring hit singles ‘Reflections’, ‘Lost Generation 2.0’, ‘Legacy’ and ‘Shaka’. To support the release today Lost Tribe Aotearoa (LTA) drop their new lead single and music video ‘Strange Things’.
The ‘Strange Things’ music video was filmed at Te Awamutu Boxing Academy and features live performance footage from the Yot Club Raglan live show and the shed LTA practice in. It stars Yassin Yass as a boxer who works at a local boxing gym at reception but dreams of becoming a pro kickboxer. His inspiration is to be strong enough to stand up to his childhood bullies. He trains hard at the gym after closing and keeps recalling his childhood trauma. He goes hard and never gives up. Yassin shares “The challenge of every training to every fight is something unexplainable… I will forever be a student of fighting, I will forever learn something new every training every fight, I am not where I want to be but I am most definitely on the right track and no matter the hurdles I will keep on keeping on until I reach the top and then I will be happy.”
Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa / NZ Music Month is an auspicious date for Lost Tribe Aotearoa who released their debut album LTA in NZ Music Month 2020. “We wanted to release our new EP Lost & Found in Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa / NZ Music Month because it is a special time to acknowledge all the awesome music in Aotearoa - it's a beautiful thing. We are honoured to be part of this community, Aotearoa music is up there with the best.”
Lost Tribe Aotearoa band ethos and EP lyrics echo the NZ Music Month themes of community + collaboration. Whanaungatanga (connection) is a theme that is at the heart of everything Lost Tribe Aotearoa do. They explain “Music is life, music is love, for us it's all about whanaungatanga, harmony and kotahitanga (unity). The title of the EP Lost & Found speaks to the themes of connection, community and collaboration. “We can all relate to the idea of feeling Lost & Found. Before Lost Tribe Aotearoa started, we drifted in life” shares Tux Severne. “We weren’t sure what path we were going to take, being connected in the band and coming together to form this rōpū has given me direction in life and a strong sense of community. For me, and for a lot of the band members you can see it when we come together - you are back with your family, you are back with your tribe. It’s that togetherness that evokes within us feeling lost and finally being found. We are all finding our way, but feeling found is about connection and community - connecting to ourselves, connecting to each other and connecting to others through our music. Join the tribe!”
Lost Tribe Aotearoa (LTA) are a family-based band who share conscious messages through their lyrics. Their sound is an eclectic mix of roots, dub, rock, ska and blues and they are well known for their high energy live shows and the contagious uplifting vibes their music evokes.
‘Shaka’ released in April 2022, speaks of sending messages of positivity and connections to the bands Pacific roots and love of surfing. ‘Lost Generation 2.0’ released in July 2022 is about learning from mistakes and making good decisions to create a legacy for the next generation “This song sends the messages to our rangatahi to find your own path and be unapologetic yet kind.” ‘Reflections’ released December 2022 speaks to the theme of hope, “It is a message to ourselves. Telling us to listen to our conscience and follow our gut.”
“This body of the work represents the diversity that LTA hold, we have bought in the Raglan horn conglomerate, who are stunning horn players and it really compliments the whole outfit” shares Ben Aves. “On Lost & Found we have explored a whole plethora of genres, including rock, reggae, roots and even bought in some pop here and there. We are finding ourselves and that is exciting stuff!”
Lost Tribe Aotearoa’s talent was spotted in June 2018 when they won Mai FM's Big Break competition with debut single 'Irie' which reached a high of #7 in the NZ Charts. They went on to release their debut EP Stick Together in May 2019, and the band quickly established a loyal fan base Stick Together surpassed 1 million streams on Spotify. In 2019, Lost Tribe Aotearoa were nominated for best roots artist next to LAB and Troy Kingi at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards (VNZMA’s). They went on to release their debut self-titled album LTA in May 2020, which achieved over 1.5m streams on Spotify and their music videos reached beyond 3.5 million streams on Youtube. ‘Wickedman, Irie’ and ‘Reflections’ also achieved commercial success with mainstream radio plays on stations such as Hauraki and Mai Fm. Their high energy live shows and infectious good vibes earned regular spots on the conscious festival circuit including Spirit Festival, Revive and Earthbeat festival, as well as regular spots at Soundsplash and for the first time this year a spot on Homegrowns iconic mainstage.
Listen to Lost & Found here
Lost Tribe Aotearoa new EP Lost & Found is out now.
Flow Beautrais x de Vegt 'Final Whistle'
Whanganui musician and composer Elizabeth de Vegt has worked with local musicians to record ‘Final whistle’’ a song based on a poem of the same name by Airini Beautrais’ from her 2017 Ockham longlisted poetry collection ‘Flow’.
OCKHAM AWARD WINNER’S POETRY INSPIRED BY THE WHANGANUI RIVER SET TO MUSIC
Whanganui musician and composer Elizabeth de Vegt has worked with local musicians to record ‘Final whistle’’ a song based on a poem of the same name by Airini Beautrais’ from her 2017 Ockham longlisted poetry collection ‘Flow’.
The new single was recorded at The Stomach in Palmerston North by de Vegt and her band ‘The Flow Collective’ which includes Hamish Jellyman, Andrew Wetherall, Brad McMillan and Elise Goodge, a taonga puoro specialist.
‘Final whistle’ was written in 2021 as part of the larger project ‘Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt,’ an album inspired by Beautrais’ poetry collection ‘Flow’. At the time of recording the album the ‘Final whistle’ composition was incomplete and therefore not included. It was subsequently premiered at the album release concert in March 2022 and finally recorded late in 2022.
The single ‘Final whistle’ is being released to coincide with New Zealand Music Month. “Airini’s poem represents the pain of shared experiences coming to an end.” Elizabeth reflects “It is a way of life suddenly becoming a memory, I related to the subject matter because of the changes the pandemic forced upon all artists and the impact of those changes on our industry.”
The single has been released with a complimentary music video documenting the recording process. The single is available on Spotify for streaming and download. The video can be viewed on YouTube under The Flow Collective.
Elizabeth de Vegt and The Flow Collective are currently touring the complete show ‘Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt’, including the new single, to towns throughout Aotearoa. Follow them on social media to see where they will be performing next.
The album ‘Flow’ was released by Wellington label, Oro Records on Saturday 5 March 2022.
BACKGROUND
In the same year, 2017, the Te Awa Tupua Bill was passed in parliament, granting the Whanganui River legal personhood, Okham Award Winner, Airini Beautrais, released a collection of poetry named Flow. Published by Victoria University Press, Flow explores the Whanganui River from its geological formations to its people and its history, both Māori and colonial. In her review of the book Elizabeth Morton writes, “With Beautrais’ collection, every poem feels necessarily placed, perfectly considered, and yet surprising. This is a work that demonstrates the potency of this poet, her range, and her ability to use language to take the reader dancing.”
It was Beautrais’ breadth of poetic form, use of rhythmic pentameters and rhyme that first inspired Whanganui based composer, Elizabeth de Vegt, to set some of her poems to music. De Vegt completed a Masters of Music, with first class honours and was the Creative Performing Arts Person of the Year in 2009 at The University of Waikato. It was late in 2020, after a difficult year of lockdowns, interrupted work and two small children to care for that de Vegt found compositional inspiration in Flow and approached Beautrais for permission to work with her words. “At first I just planned to work with two or three poems,” de Vegt says, “but very quickly I had already completed compositions for seven. I eventually capped it at fifteen and realised I had created an entire body of compositional work.”
The compositions were premiered to a live audience in March of 2021 in an outdoor setting, overlooking the Whanganui River, the creative life blood of the project. It was after this first public airing that de Vegt, again with Beautrias’ blessing, embarked on the next phase of the project, a recording. De Vegt enlisted more Whanganui musical talent, Hamish Jellyman, Andrew Wetherall, Brad McMillan and Elise Goodge to add further flesh to her compositions. Facilitating percussive and melodic layers and adding Taonga Puoro (traditional Māori musical instruments) to appropriate stories within the songs.
Before recording could begin a period of consultation with Te Runanga o Tupoho was undertaken. Renowned Whanganui artist and designer Cecelia Kumeroa, Tupoho Arts Representative, and Sacha Te Utupoto Keating generously agreed to consult on the project. Their advice resulted in some alterations and affirmations, giving the musicians assurance that the final compositions appropriately and sensitively represent the Māori stories shared.
At the beginning of January 2022 de Vegt and accompanists recorded all fifteen compositions within The Royal Whanganui Opera House. With its proscenium and dome betraying its late Victorian design the musicians and engineers wished to capture the unique auditory qualities of the space in the recordings. To this end it was decided to record every song live. Months of rehearsal were undertaken to make the renditions as perfect as possible. On the final day of recordings an audience of invited locals joined the musicians on stage to add yet another layer of context to the project, the Whanganui River community.
The final recordings were released as an album appropriately named, Flow, on Saturday 5 March 2022.
Band website www.flowalbum.com
Band instagram https://www.instagram.com/TheFlowCollectiveNZ/
Band Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheFlowCollectiveNZ/
After 5 singles, 3 Claptone Tracks of the Week and 30 weeks in the German Club charts, Murmur Tooth & Lars Moston release their debut album. And it's NOT a club album...
The unlikely duo of Berlin-based Murmur Tooth (aka Leah Hinton), a New Zealand multi-instrumentalist and singer from the heavy metal and classical persuasion, and British-German House DJ and producer Lars Moston, have been exploring how their polar-opposite musical backgrounds can clash and combine.
The unlikely duo of Berlin-based Murmur Tooth (aka Leah Hinton), a New Zealand multi-instrumentalist and singer from the heavy metal and classical persuasion, and British-German House DJ and producer Lars Moston, have been exploring how their polar-opposite musical backgrounds can clash and combine.
Their debut full length album “No Time To Explain“, released on Friday, is a unique ensemble of genre-wandering, hooky songs that combine Leah's composition skills and vocal hooks with Lars's production magic. The tracks are dripping with layered harmonies and bursting with the weird and wonderful sounds of half-broken instruments, salvaged childhood toys, and repurposed household appliances. There really isn't time to explain, you'll just have to listen...
The first single, “Antidote”, was released in October 2022 and entered the German Club Charts at #21, was Top 10 in the Apple Music charts in Mexico, Greece, Nepal and Niger, and was Claptone’s “Claptune of the week”. The next singles, “Now Is Love”, “Radio Silence”, “David Attenborough” and “Poison” followed, accompanied by stonking remixes by David Keno (Club Sweat / Dirtybird), Renato Cohen (Pets Recordings), C’mon (Saved / Superfett), Claus Casper (True Romance / Exploited) and Daniel Jaeger (Katermukke / Criminal Bassline). The strength of these remixes pushed the releases into the Club Charts, despite the pop song nature of the original album tracks.
"No Time to Explain" is available on all digital platforms.
15-YEAR-OLD NIKAU GRACE DELIVERS ‘TŌKU TUAKIRI’
15-year old Nikau Grace (Chater) is proud to deliver her latest offering, ‘Tōku Tuakiri.’ A powerful waiata that is released as a part of the 2023 Waiata Anthems, during Aotearoa Music Month.
15-year old Nikau Grace (Chater) is proud to deliver her latest offering, ‘Tōku Tuakiri.’ A powerful waiata that is released as a part of the 2023 Waiata Anthems, during Aotearoa Music Month.
Translating to ‘My Identity’, Nikau explains the inspiration behind the track came from dealing with the pressure of others telling her who she should be. “Tōku Tuakiri to me is who you are, how you identify, the people who help make me, me. I still haven't quite figured out my identity yet, but I'd say I've got time. I don't believe I have to know it all now, there's no pressure to have all the answers.”
Working with producer and uncle Nic Manders, the track is a stunning, layered waiata that shows power through both lyrics and sound. The Kawerau born artist was awarded a Waiata Takitahi grant to produce the bilingual single and music video, working with Whaea Leeda Webster to translate her lyrics.
Waiata Anthems have further supported the release with a short documentary about the single and her journey in Te Reo Maori, due to be released on the same day. “I just wanna thank the Pare and the whole team from Waiata Anthems that made something I was a bit nervous about, so exciting and fun to be a part of.”
‘Tōku Tuakiri’ is out Friday, 19th May on all streaming platforms.
Up and coming Auckland indie band ‘Club Ruby’ to release debut single ‘BADA’ in style
Pop punk band (that’s secretly a musical), Club Ruby, is thrilled to announce the release of their debut single; “BADA (you’re Born Alone and you Die Alone, and that’s good enough for me, so I hope it’s good enough for you too)” available everywhere on May 21, 2023 for everyone to enjoy.
Pop punk band (that’s secretly a musical), Club Ruby, is thrilled to announce the release of their debut single; “BADA (you’re Born Alone and you Die Alone, and that’s good enough for me, so I hope it’s good enough for you too)” available everywhere on May 21, 2023 for everyone to enjoy.
To celebrate the release of their single, Club Ruby is taking over The Wine Cellar on May 26th alongside fellow indie band Pink Plates and Speck Comic-Zine, providing Tāmaki Makaurau with a bonkers night triplely more indie than usual.
Club Ruby is fronted by lead singer “Ruby” (Jade Lewis) (lead vocals and slide whistle) alongside Hon Manawangphiphat (Bass), Sophie Gibson (second vocals and kazoo), Jonathan Meyer (guitar) and Josh Johnston (drums), with Australia-based band member and solo musician Reuben Hudson featured on the track. All members are University of Auckland music students and alumni.
‘BADA’ is all about what it means to be in a healthy relationship while also being your very own person. Lewis digs deep into the importance of putting yourself first while being in a relationship, learning to say no and prioritise your mental health, and creating boundaries to benefit everyone involved.
“The chorus of ‘BADA’ ‘I’m gonna have a party for two, with me and me and not you,’ was inspired by my hope that one day it can be normal to say, ‘Sorry I can’t, I already scheduled a video game party with myself, my bean bag and my Oodie tonight’” says Lewis.
‘BADA’ has already caught the attention of music industry giants, having been mixed by Justyn Pilbrow (Elemeno P, Halsey, The Neighborhood) and mastered by Chris Chetland (KOG studios). Club Ruby is also receiving ongoing mentorship from Mareea Patterson (Smashing Pumpkins, Veruca Salt).
Having started during the second 2020 lockdown, Club Ruby has already made themselves known in the Auckland scene, having opened for Miss June at Whammy Bar and making themselves regulars at Ding Dong Lounge. Gig goers can expect more than music at Club Ruby gigs, with their custom-made newsletters (please find attached) and homemade lip balm for sale.
On the 26th, accompanying local band, Pink Plates, will be celebrating their latest single ‘Big Man’, with Speck releasing their 3rd issue, with over 25 local artists contributing their work.
All soon-to-be Club Ruby fans can buy tickets to their Wine Cellar gig from UnderTheRadar, $15 for early birds (available until May 12th 11:30pm) and students, or $20 for regular tickets:
‘BADA’ Presave link can be found here:
What is Club Ruby?
More than just a band, Club Ruby invites all fans to become members at their “club initiations” (A.K.A gigs). When you arrive, expect to see larger-than-life characters in the form of Ruby, Bubbles the Barbarian, Hon!, JJ STIXX and Jon@th@n making the stage their own.
Sean O'Connor 'Southern Cross'
“Southern Cross” is a beautiful and powerful folk-rock ballad in three “acts”, written in response to the death of Sean’s late wife Amanda O’Connor.
“Southern Cross” is a beautiful and powerful folk-rock ballad in three “acts”, written in response to the death of Sean’s late wife Amanda O’Connor. Sean says the song came to him at the WOMAD festival a few months after her death. He was dancing alone to “Blackbird” by the Sharon Shannon band, one of Amanda’s favourite tunes to play on the flute and ocarina. He looked up and saw the Southern Cross and asked her, in spirit, to dance with him until the band finished at midnight. He went back to his tent in the light rain and wrote the song. The first “act” is a slow-burning guitar, piano and strings arrangement to the beautiful lyrics and melodies of the first two verses and choruses. The song explodes into the bridge and final choruses with the rhythm section arriving and the vocals jumping up an octave. The finale segues into an at first gentle but then rich and celebratory slow jig, an original instrumental with a bright key change, reminiscent of “Blackbird”, affirming and uplifting.
This is the first single of the second solo album by singer-songwriter Sean O’Connor. The lyric-driven and direct subject matter includes emotionally raw yet optimistic and redemptive responses to the death of his late wife, depression, anxiety, overthinking, neo-Nazism and the human shadow, a friend’s garden, climate change and relationship struggles. These often serious sounding themes are sometimes conveyed by tender ballads, and sometimes offset by upbeat rhythms and bright melodies. The album is acoustic folk-rock, with occasional Irish flavours, evident in the melodic instrumentals, and in the sometimes dense rhythmic lyrics. However, the songs are diverse, ranging from simple guitar and piano arrangements to rock, Latin, reggae and calypso, with steel drums, marimbas, cajons and an improvised triple flute solo by Rennie Pearson featuring in one song. Look out for the following singles and the full album release in the months ahead.
The gig at Meow on Thursday May 25th from 7pm will feature Steve Swanson on Drums, Mike Brown on guitar, James Martin on Bass, Rosie O’Connor on backing vocals, Joanna Dann on cello, and Regina and Yahvi Nispel on flute and violin.
Sean released his first solo album “The Real Me” in 2008 and toured NZ, America and Europe in 2011 with his family band “Lava”. He and his late wife Amanda released and toured three duo albums around New Zealand early in their careers.
https://bfan.link/southern-cross-s
Deva Mahal ‘Future Classic, Vol.1: Classic’ Tour
In celebration of the release of her latest EP, 'Future Classics: Vol. 1 - Classic', Deva Mahal will play 3 shows this June in NZ's biggest centres.
In celebration of the release of her latest EP, 'Future Classics: Vol. 1 - Classic', Deva Mahal will play 3 shows this June in NZ's biggest centres.
10th June - The Loons, Christchurch
16th June - The Tuning Fork, Auckland
24th June, Meow, Wellington
The Classic Tour will show off how the EP is a powerful piece of work; showcasing Deva’s strength yet vulnerability as a songwriter, her skill as a producer, and her talent as a vocalist. The music evokes incredible emotion full of both joy and pain. Future Classic, Vol.1: Classic - Classic channels into her music the staggering heartbreak of the current racial violence and political injustices of her country of origin, the eternal endeavor to search for true love and self-worth, and her emboldened sense of sensuality, softness, and power as a Black woman.
“To dare to bet on yourself and the ones you trust most, to create something beautiful to share with Aotearoa.”
On support, Deva has some incredible wahine joining her - Tusekah in Christchurch, Kat Little in Auckland, and her sister, Zoe Moon in Wellington.
The show will include the tracks from her new EP along with some of her older classics.
Deva is excited to be back on tour performing live to her much-loved fans.
Ticket On Sale Now - available from www.devamahal.com
LAUREN GIN presents ‘Flight’ ft. Reshma
Aotearoa-based electronic music producer and songwriter, Lauren Gin, is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of her latest single, ‘Flight’ featuring Reshma. This high-energy track is the third release off her forthcoming EP titled ‘Adrenaline,’ and promises to deliver the hard-hitting Trap and Future Bass sound that Lauren Gin is known for.
New Zealand Electronic Producer and Songwriter Lauren Gin Releases Third Single ‘Flight’ ft. Reshma.
Aotearoa-based electronic music producer and songwriter, Lauren Gin, is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of her latest single, ‘Flight’ featuring Reshma. This high-energy track is the third release off her forthcoming EP titled ‘Adrenaline,’ and promises to deliver the hard-hitting Trap and Future Bass sound that Lauren Gin is known for.
The single is a sonic journey that takes listeners through a range of emotions, building anticipation with a beautiful, angelic leadup with Reshma's powerhouse vocals adding an extra layer of depth before diving into a filthy-heavy drop.
The songwriter and producer says,“'Flight' is intensifying but also euphoric, and each listener will interpret the sound in their own unique way. For me, I feel uplifted and energised, and I hope the song elicits similar feelings with listeners." A rising star in the genre, Lauren Gin is no stranger to the local electronic music scene, having already carved out a name for herself in the New Zealand festival scene with her blend of hard-hitting Trap and Future Bass sounds. Her previous releases, 'Walk Away' and 'Remedy' ft. JANAYAH, have already gathered critical acclaim and have set the stage for the highly anticipated 'Adrenaline' EP scheduled for release this July.