ERSHA ISLAND 二沙岛 ANNOUNCES DEBUT EP & SHARES FIRST SINGLE ‘MY MOTHER’S MOUNTAINS AND MY FATHER’S SEA
Tāmaki Makaurau based sibling duo Ersha Island 二沙岛 releases 'My Mother’s Mountains and My Father’s Sea,' a cinematic single paired with a music video set for release on 13th October 2023
Tāmaki Makaurau based sibling duo Ersha Island 二沙岛 releases 'My Mother’s Mountains and My Father’s Sea,' a cinematic single paired with a music video set for release on 13th October 2023. The new single and music video offers a striking glimpse into their upcoming debut EP 'Back to Our Roots’ scheduled for an early 2024 release.
Produced by EDYONTHEBEAT (Edward Liu), the cinematic single is a reflection of the mixed heritage that define the Chinese-Pākehā (Pākehā: New Zealander of European descent) duo. ‘My Mother’s Mountain and My Father’s Sea’ beautifully encapsulates the duo’s journey of embracing both sides of their family tree. 'My Mother’s Mountains' embraces their Chinese whakapapa (genealogy), while 'Father’s Sea' embraces Aotearoa. Together, the song paints a candid picture of their Kiwi-Chinese whakapapa.
In their own words, Ersha Island 二沙岛 express the essence of their first track,"It is an anthem to being biracial. This song also marks a significant milestone for us as we incorporated the the Gu Zheng 古筝, played by Iris Zhang, It was a moment of artistic exploration and a first for our producer EDYONTHEBEAT (Edward Liu)."
NZ’s emerging dark-pop star Michèle Ducray unveils her eagerly-awaited debut EP THRONE OF MINE
New Zealand dark-pop artist Michèle Ducray has today released her much-anticipated debut EP THRONE OF MINE + title-track single!
New Zealand dark-pop artist Michèle Ducray has today released her much-anticipated debut EP THRONE OF MINE + title-track single!
Listen to THRONE OF MINE HERE
An impressive four-track debut, THRONE OF MINE is edgy, fun, vulnerable and full of dark-pop goodness - Michèle’s signature sound. “The EP showcases some pivotal times of my life. Using both dark and light pop vibes, I reminisce about my childhood, bullying, failed relationships, and even sing about the world ending! It’s a deeply personal record and some parts were tough to record, but we got there in the end!”
Working with Michèle was celebrated producer Liam Quinn (Peaches PRC, Rita Ora), who produced, mixed and mastered it at his studio in Sydney, Australia. She also worked with Christchurch-based musician Jesse Bruce, who helped with getting the initial demos down and added some fun guitar licks along the way.
A string of previously released THRONE OF MINE singles have seen Michèle already receive widespread local support from the likes of The Edge, ZM and TAHI. She’s also featured on playlists like Spotify’s New Music Friday AU & NZ and Apple Music’s New in Pop. These singles are the brilliantly crafted ‘Monster’ , the sassy and slick ‘Psycho’ (both released with artistically stunning and skillfully produced music videos), and the relatable, hook-laden ‘Ace of Spades’.
Now, with the release of her 4-track triumph, Michèle has revealed the final chapter: her pop-punk and synthy title-track ‘Throne of Mine’. Grungy and erratic, chaotic but polished, the single is fast-paced and captivatingly dark, dipping lyrically into personal themes of Michèle’s childhood.
“There’s some anger, and some dark grunge elements in there” says Michèle. “Not only is this probably my favourite song on my upcoming EP as it really reflects what I’m aiming for in my artistic genre the most, but this song has helped add and distinguish my character as an artist.”
There’s a very special music video on its way - so stay tuned!
Emerging NZ indie-pop artist jeline shares fun new single + video, ‘time stops’
Be prepared to fall in love with Filipino-born, Pōneke-raised indie-pop artist jeline, who today released her new single ‘time stops’.
Be prepared to fall in love with Filipino-born, Pōneke-raised indie-pop artist jeline, who today released her new single ‘time stops’.
Listen to ‘time stops’ HERE
‘time stops’ is a track loaded with fun, warm fuzzies, a groove to make you move and great musicianship. With its indie-electro-pop sound, this upbeat, feel-good single is the perfect car, party or pick-me-up jam. Inspired by the concept of ‘love-at-first-sight’, ‘time stops’ explores the butterflies and rollercoaster-ness of it all. jeline says that her love of Shakespeare and myths/tales has influenced the track, with the chorus giving “Romeo and Juliet seeing each other for the first time” vibes.
“That really inspired the direction of the song. I also like the concept of soulmates, specifically the red string tale where soulmates are connected by a red string of fate. So, if you’re wondering why I talk about lines, strings and being reeled in, that’s why! As much as I try to be a realist, I’m quite a romantic thinker and want that “fairytale” romance where you just fall in love, and instantly know they’re the one, and the rest is history.”
‘time stops’ is the product of jeline and her producer Jack Hegarty making the tough decision in 2022 to put aside nearly a year’s worth of work towards an album and start fresh. “Feeling burnout after that, my producer Jack Hegarty and I took a break from making music for a few months. Then, this little tune got stuck in my head and the phrase ‘time stops’.” The rest, as they say, is history. The track was recorded and produced at Massey University Wellington, where jeline is in her final year studying music, then mixed and mastered in Jpec’s studio, Auckland - and now ready for the world to enjoy!
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt as good with any other release,” says jeline. “I’ve met new people through this song who are so lovely to work with, and I feel like I’m slowly learning more about who I am and what music I want to make. This song has made me so happy throughout the whole process and I hope it makes other people happy too.”
Also being released today is a very cute, indie rom-com-feeling music video directed by Francesca Sewell, filmed by Kerry Pulham and lighting + extra footage by Mason Rudd. Featuring jeline as the main character, it perfectly follows the love-at-first-sight narrative, following the newly connected pair on their night together at a party, on a rooftop. Through a seemingly empty city. “I think there’s little moments that I found funny. When filming scenes with my ‘love interest’ Hellena Faasili, we’d just talk about random stuff and try to make each other laugh. It was nice, especially for my first music video, to just have laughs with the crew and my friends who played the party people. Getting people who I care about involved was something important to me, so I’m super grateful to everyone!”
Watch the video HERE
jeline is a proud Filipino-born, Wellington-raised indie-pop artist who could always be found singing from a young age - from karaoke, to musical theater, to the hot 100. She started writing her own songs at the age of 11 and is now in her final year studying Commercial Music at Wellington’s Massey University, where she met her producer Jack Hegarty. She released her first single 'the one you adore' in April 2022, followed by her debut EP OVERTHINKING IT in May 2022. She performs with band W.K Bookclub who, despite only gigging for a year, have played at Wellington venues San Fran, Meow, Valhalla and Rogue and Vagabond. With her meaningful lyrics, powerhouse vocals and charming personality, jeline's sure to hop on your radar. So get ready for more to come from this exciting up-and-comer!
Listen to ‘time stops’ HERE
Watch the video HERE
Find jeline:
Aotearoa country music gem Abby Christo unveils heart-felt new single, ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’
With her debut single hitting over one million streams and having already performed alongside several country music legends, Aotearoa’s very own country darling Abby Christo is back with her dreamy new feel-good single and video, ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’.
With her debut single hitting over one million streams and having already performed alongside several country music legends, Aotearoa’s very own country darling Abby Christo is back with her dreamy new feel-good single and video, ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’.
Listen to ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’ HER
Heartfelt, hook-laden and wrapped in rhythm guitars, ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’ truly is country music at its finest. Like breathing in warm country air, Abby’s sweet and emotive vocals bring the songs’ story to life, as she delves into universal themes of whether to trust your head or your heart.
“The song is about falling for a cowboy who you know could break your heart,” says Abby. “But this particular cowboy is treating you right and seems to be an exception to the rule of all cowboy’s being bad-boys. It’s about that battle in your own head: “ I know I shouldn’t be doing this.. I could get hurt”. And then also having the opposite thought: “ I can make my own decisions, and I want to do this.. so I will.”
Supported by NZ On Air and co-written alongside Phil Barton, David Thomson, the vocals for the track were recorded in Sydney, where Abby is currently based, with production, mixing and mastering then taking place in Nashville.
Also out today is the gorgeous accompanying music video, in which Abby spent the entire day filming from sunrise to sunset in the middle of winter; all to catch the perfect moment of sun for the visuals.
“We drove 13 hours out of Sydney to a small (tiny) town called Silverton (also known for where Mad Max was filmed and there are wild donkeys!)” explains Abby. “We were quite literally chasing the sun for the perfect shot and would stand with coats on right up until it was time to shoot. We were lucky enough to randomly stumble across wild horses as we were driving to the second location. The song references horses riding away, so we made the most of it, got the drone out and got the most incredible shots of the horses.
Watch the video HERE
Having recently returned from her songwriting trip to Nashville, today’s single comes after her latest releases ‘Like Me Too’, and ‘Note To Self’; the latter of which reached #8 on the NZ Hot 20 Singles Chart and received widespread local media support including ZM, The Edge, RNZ and The Breeze. ‘Note To Self’ has already reached over 500k streams on Spotify alone and was added to more than 14 editorial playlists globally. This year Abby also performed at FIFA Woman’s World Cup in Auckland and CMC Rocks in Queensland alongside major US acts Morgan Wallen, Zac Brown Band, and Kip Moore.
A self-described ‘Heartbroken Optimist’, Taranaki-born Abby Christo first stepped into the spotlight in 2015, when she appeared on X- Factor NZ as part of duo Mae Valley. They broke charts with their debut self-titled EP and played alongside global country megastars like Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and Kelsea Ballerini. In 2017, Abby spent 2 years finding her voice as a solo artist, penning her debut single 'Kiss Me Into Monday', which has had over 1.4 million streams. It was during the pandemic Abby wrote her debut solo EP SLOW DOWN GIRL - an EP that contains her most authentic music yet. She went on to sell out her first headline Sydney show in July 2022, celebrating the release of her EP. With over 4.5 million all-time streams to date and a brand-new EP on the way, there’s more gorgeous music to come from this incredible artist. As Abby says, “we are getting on an emotional roller-coaster over the next year or so; this is just the start!”
Listen to ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’ HERE
Watch the video HERE
Find Abby Christo
NZ indie artist Goodnight My Darling unveils filmic-feeling new single ‘The Empress’
Pōneke-based indie artist Goodnight My Darling has returned with her beautifully swampy new single ‘The Empress’, out today
Pōneke-based indie artist Goodnight My Darling has returned with her beautifully swampy new single ‘The Empress’, out today
Listen to ‘!The Empress’ HERE
‘The Empress’ is the first single to be released since Goodnight My Darling, aka Maxine Macaulay released her stunning self-titled debut album at the end of 2022, along with a band tour and subsequent shows and travel. With the artist’s talent for storytelling and hypnotic vocals, this smoky, sometimes cheeky, swampy treat is sure to transport listeners to a variety of worldly and otherworldly places. It would not be out of place on a movie soundtrack. With its strong vocals, lush sound and cool delivery, it conjures up Quentin Tarantino films and old westerns.
Goodnight My Darling says that the song subtly explores themes of global warming and climate change, and was inspired by award-winning Aotearoa novel ĀUE by Becky Manawatu, a Mark Rothko painting and the ‘Empress’ card in her Tarot Deck.
“The song references themes from the book,” explains Maxine, “like the cyclical nature of grief and patterns of pain that we get stuck in, and I guess that is also evident with how we are currently placed with global warming. The Empress Card represents the loving, protective mother that cares for all. And I had a Mark Rothko painting poem reflection on me, and wove pieces of this in. I like piecing lyrics together like this sometimes.”
Recorded and mixed by celebrated NZ producer Toby Lloyd at Tiny Triumph Recordings, ‘The Empress’ was mastered by Robin Schmidt, 24-96 Mastering - Berlin and is yet another release that reinforces Goodnight My Darling’s growing reputation as one of Pōneke’s most exciting new acts. Her work is contemplative, cleverly crafted and soul-stirring. An impressive songwriter, producer and vocalist. Goodnight My Darling is a storyteller, an avid explorer and human experience researcher who draws upon her adventures living and performing abroad in Melbourne, Japan and Berlin. Her artistic endeavours began from a young age, singing for Kapiti-based bands, choirs and learning to play trumpet, taught by her grandfather who was a conductor and musician in the New Zealand National Band. In 2018 Maxine was one of the first graduates from Massey University's Bachelor of Commercial Music in Wellington. Her debut self-titled album was written during a seven-month lockdown in Berlin, early 2021 and was released December 2022. It is a mix of soul-stirring tunes including ode to love, loss and rebirth ‘The Carriage’, ‘Until I Return’ and the story of a relationship’s end in ‘The Trees Have Eyes’.
Inspirations include Angel Olsen, Nadia Reid and 90’s shoegaze. Macaulay says her ever evolving vibe is a poetic expression of her life and the places around her. Her songs take you on a cinematic journey, while her ethereal vocals lull you into a quiet sense of peace and appreciation. With much more to come - including a “Hollywood Dream with a twist” music video - now is the time to step into the immersive and cinematic world of Goodnight My Darling.
Listen to ‘The Empress’ HERE
Find Goodnight My Darling:
WELLINGTON INDIE ROCK BAND, UNDERWIRE RELEASE NEW SINGLE ‘FALLING ALL OVER"
Underwire's third single release this year, 'Falling All Over' is a veritable Tardis of a song, bigger on the inside than the out, and packed with rock'n'roll effervescence.
Underwire's third single release this year, 'Falling All Over' is a veritable Tardis of a song, bigger on the inside than the out, and packed with rock'n'roll effervescence. A two minute (okay, 2.08) love song with hat-tips to Jimi & the other Elvis, and a nod to Ray Columbus, Falling All Over is a banger from start to finish, jellyfish and all!
WATCH THE VIDEO
Recorded at Massey School of Music amid lockdown mayhem in 2021, by studio genius Mike Gibson and engineer Robbie Pattinson, and mastered by esteemed producer Scott Seabright, ‘Falling All Over’ smacks you in the face with a punchy guitar figure that slipped through the rock’n’roll cracks! Proudly brought to you by Plasticgroove HQ. Co-written by Johnny & Jane ‘Falling All Over’ conjures images of wild go-go dancing, tumbling figures in sci-fi landscapes, and psychedelic jellyfish, with a punk attitude and irrepressible love! ‘Falling All Over’ is available on all streaming platforms now. A stunning animated video will be available on Underwire’s Youtube channel
Breaking local artist Luana Gordon announces her debut single Drunk In The Living Room
Luana Gordon is thrilled to announce the release of her debut single Drunk In The Living Room - an indie-pop/rock record about unwinding at home at the end of the working week.
Luana Gordon is thrilled to announce the release of her debut single Drunk In The Living Room, available now on all streaming platforms.
Drunk In The Living Room is an indie-pop/rock record about unwinding at home at the end of the working week. Released on the first day of spring, this catchy, feelgood track invites the listener to relax into warmer evenings in the lead up to a long awaited summer.
Listen to "Drunk In The Living Room" here
Be amongst the first to discover Luana Gordon, Samoan-NZ European singer-songwriter from Otahuhu, Auckland. Produced by her brother, Auckland musician Peter Leupolu (keyboardist for The Beat Council, Sola Rosa, Bella Kalolo, Teeks and more), and with support from oldest brother Oliver Leupolu (Shepherds Reign), this single was made with help from NZ On Air New Music Development funding. It is the first of many exciting releases to come from this unique sibling collaboration from south Auckland
French for Rabbits announce double EP vinyl for pre - order In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home x Claimed by the Sea and share new song and video ‘Baring Head’
French for Rabbits have today announced a new EP ‘In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home’ due for release on the 24 November
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara’s French for Rabbits have today announced a new EP In the End I Won’t Be Coming Home due for release on the 24 November via AAA Records (Troy Kingi, Kita) alongside the opening of pre-orders for the EP on CD, and a special vinyl release featuring the new EP on side A, and their debut 2012 EP Claimed by the Sea on side B-the first ever pressing of the fan-favourite to vinyl, eleven years on from its initial release
In July 2023, the band entered the Surgery Studios in Wellington to record a new 4-track EP-following on fromtheir Taite Prize nominated album ‘The Overflow’. After an intensive week,including a string quartet session at Roundhead Studio in Auckland, they emerged with an intricate collection titled ‘In the End I won’t Be Coming Home’. On the EP they are joined byAuckland’sBlack Quartetwho weave their way around the band deftly evoking the sounds ofAotearoa’s landscapes-a dawn chorus welcoming listeners in, the swirl and eddies of a swiftriver, and the blustery winds that whip around the Baring Head lighthouse
The band’s 2012 EP Claimed by the Sea was also recorded with Lee Prebble at The Surgery,and the coming together of these two releases feels like a full circle moment. Claimed by theSea helped the then-duo to garner international attention within the blogosphere of the time,and BBC 6 radiocoverage.The creation of the new EP (self-funded by the band) includes a song out today called ‘BaringHead’ which explores privilege, power and the tension between art and money