Delaney Davidson Releases “Out Of My Head” Single & Album
What does 10th solo studio album mean to a man standing on the precipice of 50 as his touring world territory cross fades into his house and backyard? Out Of My Head presents songs written over the global pandemic lockdown period with Davidson navigating the personal political landscape he seems to feel at home in.
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“Out of My Head ” The Single
The title track from Delaney Davidsons 10 solo studio album. A tribute to Alphaville and Jean Luc Goddards futuristic modern day nightmare. Shot in a number of locations to reinforce the disconnect, this is ultimately a song of hope.
The Video is directed by: Delaney Davidson & Martin Sagadin,Cinematography by: Bill Bycroft & Martin Sagadin, Featuring: Delaney Davidson & Susannah Kenton
“Out Of My Head” The Album
What does 10th solo studio album mean to a man standing on the precipice of 50 as his touring world territory cross fades into his house and backyard?
Out Of My Head presents songs written over the global pandemic lockdown period with Davidson navigating the personal political landscape he seems to feel at home in.
Mortally convinced, skeptically tender, reflective, yearning, gravitas and anguish, need, forgiveness, wry self-acceptance, frustration and release. We run the gamut from rage and despair to protection and love. Spells to conjure a lover in a moonlit dreamscape. Intimate whisperings in the close darkness. Velvet dark water and silver.
Co producer Mark Perkins (Merk) brings his own luscious synth atmospheres to Davidsons songs, giving a cinematic and deluxe feel to the album. Guest appearances from Marlon Williams (Drive Me Wild) and Reb Fountain (Heaven Is Falling) help fill the role call with Davidsons voice coming into its own.
“I have always helped other people like Tami, Marlon and Troy Kingi make these rich albums and when I asked Mark to come co produce with me I think what I was really wanting to do was finally make one of these albums for myself.
Recorded in Kurow and Diamond Harbour (New Zealand), the songs were written largely by Davidson with notable co-writes Hayley Westenra, Sam Scott, Marlon Williams and Miranda Eastern.
Given the time to stand still in his globetrotting schedule produces a rare album from Davidson and Out Of My Head presents a body of work that makes up a poised and polished album.
Embarking on a journey through Chamber Music New Zealand’s CMNZ Series, Davidson’s performance will be elevated to new heights with the integration of a string ensemble, providing audiences with a distinctive opportunity to immerse themselves the rich sounds that truly complements and enhances the album’s essence.
Chamber Music New Zealand Presents : Delaney Davidson - Out Of My Head Tour
April 4 Nelson Theatre Royal
April 5 Hawkes Bay Toitoi, Hawkes Bay Arts and Events Centre
April 19 Wellington Public Trust Hall
April 20 Auckland Rangitira, Q Theatre
April 27 Christchurch Great Hall
Ticket info : www.delaneydavidson.com
Jenny Mitchell unveils North Island Tour
This Autumn, Jenny Mitchell is set to play a string of intimate shows in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and Whangārei before headlining Paihia’s Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival (May 10th – 12th).
This Autumn, Jenny Mitchell is set to play a string of intimate shows in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and Whangārei before headlining Paihia’s Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival (May 10th – 12th). The shows will feature special guest Fables, Maddison Connor and Jenny’s sisters, The Mitchell Twins.
Alongside working on new songs, Jenny has spent the past two years directing a documentary about the history of country music in her hometown of Gore (with Dunedin based filmmakers Scrambler). The film, Capital of Country Music, is set to premiere in Gore on May 30th during the town’s 10-day country music festival; Tussock Country.
Tickets for Jenny’s North Island shows are available now from www.jennymitchell.co.nz/tour
ADV's ‘Trust Issues’ Presents Eight Music Videos
Prepare to be transported into the world of ADV as his debut album, ‘Trust Issues ’(an audiovisual album), unveils eight stunning music videos.
Prepare to be transported into the world of ADV as his debut album, ‘Trust Issues’(an audiovisual album), today unveils eight stunning music videos. The visual release is a beautiful testament to ADV's authentic and heartfelt storytelling, celebrating love, diversity, and the human experience.
With raw honesty, South African-born, Auckland local ADV fearlessly explores the complexities of relationships and the nuances of queer love in this genre-defying body of work. Released on 2 February 2024, ‘Trust Issues' blends Soul, RnB, Pop, and Funk, offering a powerful and resonant narrative that speaks to the queer experience.
Accompanied by a zine titled ‘The Trust Issue,’ designed by Lulu Qiu, featuring work from photographers, lyrics, credits, a poetic letter from ADV, and a foreword by renowned poet and playwright Nathan Joe, this audiovisual album demands to be shared, embraced, and cherished by all who experience it..
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Raglan artist Reiki Ruawai delivers summery single and video, ‘All I Need’
New Zealand’s rising R&B/soul sensation Reiki Ruawai continues to ride the wave with his new single ‘All I Need’. To celebrate the release, Reiki is also embarking on a two-date tour, playing in Auckland on Thursday April 25 at the Wine Cellar and at The Yard in Raglan on Friday April 26.
Aotearoa, New Zealand’s rising R&B/soul sensation Reiki Ruawai continues to ride the wave with his new single ‘All I Need’. Listen to ‘All I Need’ HERE.
To celebrate the release, Reiki is also embarking on a two-date tour, playing in Auckland on Thursday April 25 at the Wine Cellar and at The Yard in Raglan on Friday April 26. Tickets for both shows are on sale at 9am Monday March 18 at www.undertheradar.co.nz
Oozing with Reiki’s laid-back, soulful signature style with pop undertones, ‘All I Need’ builds around a tribal shuffle beat, with layers of heavenly backing vocals and hypnotic synths.
‘All I Need’ was written at APRA New Zealand’s Songhubs curated by critically acclaimed NZ-born, London-based songwriter and producer Jordan Rakei, which Reiki was selected to take part in. The young Raglan native says he spent time “geeking out” at the fact that he was getting to work with Jordan - one of his favourite artists.
Reiki adds that ‘All I Need’ began life as a much poppier demo but in the studio working with producer and engineer Joel Jones, they found themselves taking a slightly more experimental route. “We took ages trying to find some random noises and ended up finding a sample of a Putatara (conch shell) - that’s what ended up giving that tribal feel,” he says.
It’s what gives ‘All I Need’ its refreshingly unique quality and also aptly sums up that feeling of there being no place like home. Reiki explains that on the day he wrote the track on Songhubs with Jordan, Alistair Ross, and Francesca Emily Chesney Colwill; he told the others he was really longing to get back to his hometown - the world famous surfing town on the North Island’s Waikato coast.
“I mentioned that I needed a day back in Raglan where I could head down to the skatepark with a beer and hang with friends - just be with each other, skating and having fun.”
The same sentiment is captured in the video for ‘All I Need’, which serves as the perfect visual backdrop. Filmed by Luke Penny in Riverhead near Auckland, it’s a simple one-take shot as the sun sets.
Watch the video HERE.
“The video gives off more of the energy of the song,” says Reiki. “I wanted to feel like myself and be myself - as natural as I could be. Doing the one-take captures that.”
Listen to ‘All I Need’ HERE / Watch the video HERE
Catch Reiki Ruawai live:
Thursday April 25 - Wine Cellar, Auckland
Friday April 26 - The Yard, Raglan
Tickets on sale 9am Monday March 18 at www.undertheradar.co.nz
NEIL MACLEOD Fear
Neil MacLeod is an artist who is steadfast in their vision. he has released his new single ‘Fear,’ a watershed moment in the ongoing artistic evolution of the 24-year-old Ōtautahi/ Christchurch born New Zealand singer-songwriter, producer, engineer, and artist.
Neil MacLeod is an artist who is steadfast in their vision. On Friday the 15th of March, he will release new single ‘Fear,’ a watershed moment in the ongoing artistic evolution of the 24-year-old Ōtautahi/ Christchurch born New Zealand singer-songwriter, producer, engineer, and artist.
A decade on from when a young MacLeod first uploaded his early music to SoundCloud, Neil has honed his craft from singer-songwriter demos to widescreen productions, born from introspection, reflection, and masterfully curated self-expression.
His new single ‘Fear’ is a result of this process. Sonically, it is an amalgamation of MacLeod’s instinct and skill, and lyrically an exploration of the subconscious.
“Like many people, I’ve allowed fear to influence my life,” says MacLeod. “At one stage, I developed quite a fearful relationship with my dreams. I’d been exploring dream interpretation and lucid dreaming and found myself increasingly anxious about going to sleep. In retrospect, I can see that I was just too close and obsessed with the whole thing. I was reading meaning into my dreams without any help or support, and it was messing with my sense of reality. I’m someone who relentlessly seeks self improvement, and at times I think this mentality can create more problems than it solves - such as how my relationship to dreams ended up. This song gets into all of that. In essence, it’s exploring the fear that I might lose myself on the journey to finding myself.”
It’s a song that showcases MacLeod’s unique sonic identity. The sharpness and fullness of the soundscape paired with the haunting fragility of MacLeod’s vocals creates a hypnotic tension. MacLeod muses on the recording process.
“I made the instrumental first, following my nose until I felt inspired to sing. The first verse flowed out of me in a freestyle - melodies and words. I never changed the verse after that. The chorus flowed out, too - although only in its melodic form. I put the song away for a while, and over the course of a year or so I slowly figured out what my subconscious was trying to say in those freestyles. Once I’d figured that out, I finished the song in a matter of days.”
For MacLeod, the visual world of song holds acute importance, and the visualiser accompanying ‘Fear’ is mysterious, beguiling, and a taste of the things to come from MacLeod which wait in the wings.
“The video is an introduction to the wider visual world of my next EP ‘I Need a Battle’. The floating object you see is a vessel, from which reflective, gooey black liquid escapes. These are symbols which play an important part in the story. For now, simply soak it up.”
Nourished by a musical diet of atmospheric electronica artists such as Bon Iver, Burial, James Blake, Floating Points, Kiasmos, Arca, and Björk, MacLeod is well on his way to establishing himself as a pillar in the electronic music landscape of Aotearoa. His EP We Have Known Lost Days (Remixed) was nominated for Te Tohu Hopunga Puoro Mariu (Favourite EP / Mixtape) at the 2023 Student Radio Network Awards, and received recognition from outlets such as Dazed, Acid Stag, and NZ Musician.
Reflecting on the upcoming release of ‘Fear,’ MacLeod says it feels “like a relief. The music has been done for a long time, and it’s been a labour of love to build the visual world that surrounds it. I can let this song go now, and slowly move on to the next thing.”
Geoff Ong’s new single captures the journey of growing up and unpacks big feelings
Tāmaki Makaurau-based indie-pop delight Geoff Ong has today released his latest single ‘When it Gets Easy’.
Tāmaki Makaurau-based indie-pop delight Geoff Ong has today released his latest single ‘When it Gets Easy’.
‘When it Gets Easy’ delves into intimate reflections on the journey of growing up and unpacking big feelings. “As a kid I always assumed things would suddenly get simpler, that my emotions would get less difficult and my mental health would finally begin to thrive,” explains Geoff. “I’ve since realised that any progress means going through a deliberate, purposeful process, rather than just a sudden moment of effortless change. And I think that, slowly, it does get easier.”
Geoff’s knack for catchy pop hooks, paired with a driving beat and bright guitar licks, have built what he hopes will become an “upbeat and hopeful anthem for people who are also wondering when it gets easier.”
No stranger to exploring the complexities of mental health in his songwriting, Geoff is known for his soul-bearing and vulnerable lyrics, which have engaged listeners around the country (RNZ, ZM, The Edge). Made with the support of NZ On Air and teasing an evolving sound, Geoff says today’s release explores his “indie rock influences” which we can expect more of from his upcoming EP in late 2024.
The video for ‘When It Gets Easy’ - directed by long-time collaborator Lochana Wijesundera - depicts Geoff parting with “the emotional weight” tangled up with his hair. This happens in the most literal and palpable sense and serves as a powerful representation of dealing with big change, in real time: “We felt like it would be really impactful and meaningful if I had my close friends and family help with this - because having a good group of support around you is such a huge help when you’re processing heavy emotions,” says Geoff, who adds that filming the emotionally-charged clip was one of the favourite things he’s ever done.
About Geoff Ong
A self-proclaimed “popstar for dorks”, Geoff Ong has spent the last four years cultivating a passionate fan base through a combination of online engagement, electric live performances, and his own brand of quirky pop songwriting. Recognition for Geoff’s art is catching like wildfire: with five songs from his 2020 debut album MAYBE IT’LL BE ALRIGHT placing in the Official NZ Music Charts Top 5, consistent radio airplay across Aotearoa, and a featured performance for the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra in 2023 - writing and performing alongside such musical legends as Hollie Fulbrook (Tiny Ruins), Don McGlashan, and Steph Brown (Lips). Much of Geoff’s mahi within the Aotearoa music industry weaves together with his advocacy for greater Asian representation and racial diversity in mainstream media, performing at Asian(SOUND)Scapes music festivals and serving as a mentor for Asians In Music NZ.
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Ōtautahi-based RnB artist CH!EF unveils infectious new single + video ‘Love You Like I Should’
Fijian-born, Ōtautahi-based RnB artist CH!EF (Ratu Cokanasiga) has today released his feel-good new single ‘Love You Like I Should’.
Listen to ‘single’ HERE
Watch video HERE
Fijian-born, Ōtautahi-based RnB artist CH!EF (Ratu Cokanasiga) has today released his feel-good new single ‘Love You Like I Should’.
Following 2023 singles 'It's You’ (Spotify ‘Island Time’ Playlist) and ‘Until We Meet Again’ (NZ Hot Single Chart), CH!EF is continuing to build a discography surrounding his unique and soulful RnB sound, with Pasifika Reggae influences. Still in the early phases of what is set to be a long and successful career, he is already making waves across Australia and Aotearoa (CADA, Niu FM).
‘Love You Like I Should’ features upbeat instrumentation, paired with CH!EF’s stunning vocals and heartfelt lyrics - which speak to true love prevailing in the face of adversity. “It’s about taking a chance on love under the worst of circumstances,” explains CH!EF.
Made with the support of NZ On Air, the single was co-written and produced by friend and mentor Vince Harder (Stan Walker, P Money, Scribe, PopStars), at the local legend’s home studio in Tāmaki Makaurau. Speaking to the creative process, CH!EF says, “Vince just radiates a creative energy that's contagious, it's such a driving factor in my writing sessions.”
No stranger to working with such accomplished musicians and producers, he's previously worked as a backing vocalist with Vince, Stan Walker and Marley Sola.
Also released today is a music video filmed and directed by Ethan Harris from Lucent Films in CH!EF’s hometown of Ōtautahi. “We wanted to revisit old school comedy-romance style videos, while keeping the message relevant for listeners,” says CH!EF. The video portrays an adorable narrative of new love, with a sense of humour that complements the bouncy track.
With fresh music in the works and more soulful sounds to be expected soon, CH!EF is already establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Aotearoa RnB scene!
Find CH!EF:
Award-winning folk artist Amiria Grenell shares ethereal new album THE WINTER LIGHT + new single ‘The Ghost in You’
Ōtautahi folk singer-songwriter Amiria Grenell has today released her highly anticipated fourth album THE WINTER LIGHT.
Ōtautahi folk singer-songwriter Amiria Grenell has today released her highly anticipated fourth album THE WINTER LIGHT.
This 10-track album is an introspective body of work which combines tender vocals, vivid storytelling, and a seamless blend of folk, country, and rock elements. Amiria says that THE WINTER LIGHT details “my days, my heart, my family and my surroundings - and sometimes I manage to make sense of it all. But when I release songs into the world, I don’t want people to see me - my hope is that they see themselves.”
Produced alongside Ryan Fisherman, Amiria says this collaboration contributed to the album’s fluidity. “I love dipping in and out of genres, and working with Ryan helped me gather the best of what I have to give. For that, I am so grateful.” Made with the support of NZ On Air and featuring stunning strings produced by Anna Edgington, THE WINTER LIGHT was almost entirely recorded at The Hut, Ōtautahi.
Alongside the album’s previously released singles ‘Romeo’ (NZOA New Tracks, RNZ, NZ Musician) and ‘Lanterns’(RNZ, R1, RadioActive, JuiceTV), THE WINTER LIGHT introduces opening track ‘Oamaru by Night’, which includes an original voice memo recorded post-show outside the Grainstore Gallery, and closes with ‘Burnt Coffee’ - complete with bird sounds recorded at Banks Peninsula, a place Amiria holds dear to her heart.
Also released today is the new single and music video ‘The Ghost in You’ - an uplifting track about our inner ghosts and the whirlwind of colours, feelings and emotions unique to each of us. Amiria says ‘The Ghost in You’ is meant for listeners to celebrate their quirks and “all our little ghosts dancing about.” A playful celebration of togetherness through the ups and downs of the human experience, Amiria and collaborator Robyn Jordaan have also captured this sentiment in the newly released music video.
Filmed in Lyttelton and Diamond Harbour, scenes of still-life drawing class, hula hooping and throwing paper planes with her daughter, all reflect Amiria’s candid approach to her art. “It reminds me to have a laugh and not take things too seriously. To let the ghosts out to play every once in a while.”
Something else to get excited about, Amiria Grenell will soon be hitting the road for a national tour!
For more details and tickets, head to utr.co.nz
25/04 - Lake Hawea - House Concert
26/04 - Queenstown - Sherwood
27/04 - Dunedin - Maggies
03/05 - Wellington - Poquito
04/05 - Wellington - Poquito
05/05 - Auckland - Freida Margolis
10/05 - Christchurch - Space Academy
About Amiria Grenell
Daughter of legendary country musician John Grenell, Amiria grew up on a farm in Whitecliffs, Canterbury, where her family hosted decades of music festivals in the back paddocks. She has followed her heritage into a colourful and long-standing career as a touring artist and respected songwriter. Winner of a Tui NZ Music Award for her album THREE FEATHERS (2011) and finalist for the same award for album AUTUMN (2015), her new album THE WINTER LIGHT is sure to be yet another album to be embraced across Aotearoa.
Find Amiria Grenell:
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