dān dān announces end of august (hand-pulled noodles)
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland-based folk-pop artist dān dān returns with her second solo single, end of august (hand-pulled noodles). A bittersweet reflection on distance, desire, and the quiet ache of making peace with something as it slips away.
AUDIO & VISUALISER OUT FRIDAY 30 AUGUST
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland-based folk-pop artist dān dān returns with her second solo single, end of august (hand-pulled noodles).
A bittersweet reflection on distance, desire, and the quiet ache of making peace with something as it slips away.
As one half of wasian sibling duo Ersha Island 二沙岛, dān dān has been known for her bilingual storytelling and emotionally rich compositions. Her solo work leans into the playful and poetic, exploring food, identity, and culture with softness and clarity.
Following the success of her debut single ‘pressure cooker’ supported by NZ On Air and featured on Rolling Stone Australia/NZ - dān dān continues to craft a distinct space for diasporic voices in contemporary indie-pop.
”‘end of august (hand-pulled noodles)’ is about the feeling of knowing something’s ending before it actually does, and being okay with that. It’s about turning what could be bitter into something tender, something sweet, something worth savouring, even as as you watch it inevitably slip away.” dān dān shares.
Produced by Dan Martin with strings featuring sibling Tee Hao-Aickin, the track blends warm acoustics with layered harmonies and ambient textures, sitting somewhere between Lizzy McAlpine and a favourite comfort meal.
With an accompanying visualiser shot in Xi’An Food Bar on Dominion Road, end of august (hand-pulled noodles) sets the stage for dān dān’s upcoming debut EP — a gentle, self-assured project about food, love, and growing up between cultures.
Praise for pressure cooker
dān dān’s debut single pressure cooker made waves across Aotearoa and beyond, with its delicate storytelling and bilingual lyricism drawing attention from fans and press alike.
Juice TV: #1 in Top 20 Most Streamed Videos
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: Cover artist of
Best New Zealand Music of the Week: June 23rd-29th
“dān dān’s smooth vocal textures carry the evocative lyrics flawlessly as percussive arrangements and flowing key patterns ensue, enriched only by the creamy string work courtesy of the violin.”
“pressure cooker is not merely a melody to be heard; it is to be experienced… Sincere, sentimental and filled with raw human emotion… If this is her debut single, I cannot wait for more from this talented musician.”
“A soaring ballad… ”
The track was named Song of the Day by The 13th Floor, featured in Kick Drum Magazine,
profiled by AsianTones, and spotlighted on TAHI FM, Radio One 91FM, 95bFM, and mpre.
Made with the support of NZ On Air, pressure cooker was accompanied by a surrealist music video (with over 46k views on YouTube) inspired by Everything Everywhere All At Once, praised for its tender portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship across cultural and emotional universes.
The RVMES release new single Any Better Reason and announce upcoming 11-track album Boundary Issues and NZ tour
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland - based band The RVMES are back with their mesmerizing new single Any Better Reason. It's a dark and rolling alt-rock track that sings about the unspoken connection you have with friends and family who will always have your back.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland - based band The RVMES are back with their mesmerizing new single Any Better Reason released via AAA Records. It's a dark and rolling alt-rock track that sings about the unspoken connection you have with friends and family who will always have your back.
Stream Any Better Reason here.
The single arrives alongside a one-take music video by TeMuri, shot at double speed before being slowed to match frontman Edwin Judd’s lips — and his sweet (and some may say questionable) dance moves. It’s a dreamy ride that pairs perfectly with the song's sonic signature.
Watch the Official Music Video here.
On top of all that excitement, The RVMES have just officially announced the release of their newest 11-track album Boundary Issues set for release on September 5th matched with an impressive NZ tour.
BOUNDARY ISSUES TOUR
THE RVMES
SEP 6 - Big Fan, Auckland
Support from Mojo Smooth & Velveteen Shakes
SEP 12 - Beer & Loathing, Whangarei
Support from OSHEEN & Mojo Smooth
SEP 19 - Waihi Beach Hotel, Waihi
Support from Strangely Arousing & Mojo Smooth
SEP 20 - The Yard, Raglan
Support from Retro Valley & Mojo Smooth
SEP 26 - Butlers Reef, New Plymouth
Support from The Mara & Mojo Smooth
SEP 27 - Meow, Wellington
Support from Devon Welch & Fortuna + Roy (DJ)
OCT 3 - Crabfarm Winery, Napier
Support from Nick Herbison & Mojo Smooth
OCT 4 - Smash Palace, Gisborne
Support TBA
Hannah Virk Releases Captivating New Album 'Pocket Clocks'
Featuring the futuristic single ‘Can’t Outpace the Algorithm’, the album showcases Hannah’s skills both as a singer-songwriter and budding producer, blending different beats and delving into the complexities of new technologies.
On Sunday 10th August 2025 Aotearoa New Zealand singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Hannah Virk released her second album - the experimental and unabashed Pocket Clocks.
Featuring the futuristic single ‘Can’t Outpace the Algorithm’, the album showcases Hannah’s skills both as a singer-songwriter and budding producer, blending different beats and delving into the complexities of new technologies. Alongside this are songs Musos Club, which harks back to Hannah’s teenage days and Necklace from a Friend, a catchy pop song about hopes for a romance that could have been. The album is an exciting step for Hannah – who began here musical career after getting a guitar at age 30 and letting her creativity bloom.
In Hannah’s words, “Having only started my musical journey later in life, Pocket Clocks goes back and pulls through moments where I might have been inspired to write had I been in the mindset. In writing these songs as an adult, the moments are connected to their influence in the present and explore how those experiences shape us going forward. The songs on the album contrast different aspects of time - being the spontaneity of a split second (Glens) and the way that time passes by (Slowly Biting Youth).
Hannah Virks debut album, 2024’s Upstairs/Downstairs, launched her into the musical community of Aotearoa, putting her on the map as an independent artist. Hannah has found strength in the creative arts scene in her hometown of Wellington where she has been sharing her new found passions at Open Mic Nights across the city and hosted her own show 30 songs:30 years at the Wellington Fringe Festival 2025. She is determined to share her story with the hopes of inspiring others to unleash their creative talents. Upping the quirkiness and intrigue from her first release, Pocket Clocks delivers even more of the authenticity that Hannah has to offer.
Release Show
Hannah will be launching Pocket Clocks at a release show at the Undercurrent, Bookstore and Music Venue, Wellington Sunday November 2nd at 1pm. Hannah will be performing songs from her first album Upstairs/Downstairs and debuting live acoustic performances of her second album Pocket Clocks, released in August 2025.
Michaela Tempers set to release fourth single ‘Saintly’
An ode to medieval heroines, legacy, and to owning her own story, the soul-influenced song is accompanied by a richly animated music video inspired by symbols of saints, prayer and self-liberation.
Aotearoa indie label Home Alone are proud to share Michaela Tempers’ fourth single ‘Saintly’ is out on August 13th. An ode to medieval heroines, legacy, and to owning her own story, the soul-influenced song is accompanied by a richly animated music video inspired by symbols of saints, prayer and self-liberation. Created in collaboration with award-winning animator, Candice Mac, the video unfolds hand-in-hand with the lyrics: I am a heroine going slowly, I am a hundred years of war, I am Henry the VIII of England with his back against the wall.
“I was raised in an orthodox religion,” Tempers explains, “and this song was written about the very painful, very messy reality of breaking up with your faith.”
‘Saintly’ is the fourth instalment of the Good Woman EP, which is due out later this year. It was recorded at the Surgery Studios with Lee Prebble and an all-star folk band featuring members from French for Rabbits, Dateline and Louis TM, with Chris Armour on guitar, Dayle Jellyman on organ, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa on drums, Phoebe Johnson on bass and harmonies, and Brooke Singer and Penelope Esplin on additional backing vocals.
Groove Incorporated Share New Pop/R&B Single : “All As One”
Music collective Groove Incorporated has released their latest single, “All As One”, a melodic pop/R&B track that blends smooth vocals, a memorable guitar riff, and reflective lyrics that speak to the current global climate.
AUCKLAND, NZ – Music collective Groove Incorporated has released their latest single, “All As One”, a melodic pop/R&B track that blends smooth vocals, a memorable guitar riff, and reflective lyrics that speak to the current global climate.
The song’s lyrics touch on themes of unity and resilience in the face of global challenges — from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to climate change and economic inequality. At its core, “All As One” is an invitation to consider how collaboration and empathy can shape a better future.
“We wanted to write something that felt personal, but also relevant — something that could connect across different experiences,” says Groove Incorporated.
Led with female vocals, the track features layered harmonies and a laid-back groove, with a subtle message that encourages collective awareness without preaching.
A music video is due for release on August 16, following the track’s launch on all major streaming platforms.
STREAMING NOW ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS
Spotify • Apple Music • YouTube • Tidal
Frau Knotz (NZ) dispenses sophomore EP ‘Digital Plastic Surgery’, alongside banging track ‘Left Eye Lunar’
Ngāmotu New Plymouth-based producer and vocalist Frau Knotz dishes up her sophomore EP, Digital Plastic Surgery — a shimmering mélange of instrumental dance tracks exploring the corners of electronica, concocted in a pressure cooker of concentrated creative output.
Ngāmotu New Plymouth-based producer and vocalist Frau Knotz dishes up her sophomore EP, Digital Plastic Surgery — a shimmering mélange of instrumental dance tracks exploring the corners of electronica, concocted in a pressure cooker of concentrated creative output. Alongside the EP, she unveils its final single, ‘Left Eye Lunar’, a mind-bending, relentless 140bpm track that seethes with potential energy.
Hot on the heels of her glitter-showered releases ‘Victory Dance on ZR3’ and ‘Khepri’, this body of work unfolds to lay out her latest ecstatic soundworld in its entirety, allowing listeners to surrender to their imagination.
Opening with ‘Animistic Ritual’, Frau Knotz transports the listener into a jungle, heaving with life. They awake in the centre of a drum circle, surrounded by gorillas playing a trance-like, polyrhythmic groove, laden with toms. ‘Victory Dance on ZR3’ zips us into a 2D digiverse of a 90’s computer game, with a lead synth that sings above the soundtrack in all its detuned glory. ‘Khepri’ whisks us to a sun-soaked beach with our hearts aglow, while ‘Left Eye Lunar’ captures the juxtaposition of overpopulated chaos in central Cairo against the profound mysteries lurking within the Pyramids of Giza. The final track ‘Consumer Culture’ is a warped, obnoxious commentary of our insatiable desire for material goods, where the only lyrics in the EP can be found; pitch-bent repetitions of the mantra ‘I love it’.
Frau Knotz shares: “I see this EP as the sonic equivalent to ‘The Breakfast Club’ - it’s an unlikely grouping of quirky characters that form unexpected bonds and reveal their inner struggles.” Mixed and mastered by Sam Johnson at Rhythm Ace Studio, Digital Plastic Surgery is a richly diverse EP that serves as part one of a double-EP project. It dives deep into the many corners of electronica, drawing from unexpected wells of inspiration and is shaped by a relentless creative drive to forge something emotionally resonant and sonically bold in a focused window of time.
In celebration of this EP, Frau Knotz will be hosting two exclusive events; a virtual listening party on Bandcamp, 7pm Wednesday 6th August and an in-person listening party on release day, Friday 8th August at Peeps DIY in New Plymouth.
Previous singles ‘Khepri’ and ‘Victory Dance on ZR3’ were swiftly picked up by George FM, Radioactive, Radio Control, RDU, Radio One, The Most FM, 2RRR FM (Sydney), Under The Radar and 13th Floor’s Song of the Day with fans getting behind the Bandcamp exclusive release by pre-ordering the full EP.
Fresh from her appearance at WOMAD Aotearoa 2025, Frau Knotz has had a stellar year — releasing three acclaimed singles and a debut EP, packing out her hometown premiere for the Nextraterrestrial film, headlining The Stomach in Palmerston North, and captivating a national audience at the Len Lye Centre. With more music and shows on the horizon, Frau Knotz is poised to lift hearts and energise dance floors with her signature blend of deep feeling and undeniable groove.
For media enquiries, please contact frauknotz@gmail.com
Butter Wouldn’t Melt announce new album ‘Where the roots grow deep’ – out August 9th
Old River Records is thrilled to announce the release of the sophomore album from award-nominated New Zealand folk/Americana band Butter Wouldn’t Melt. Where the roots grow deep will be available everywhere on August 9th, 2025.
Old River Records is thrilled to announce the release of the sophomore album from award-nominated New Zealand folk/Americana band Butter Wouldn’t Melt. Where the roots grow deep will be available everywhere on August 9th, 2025.
On the back of a successful thirteen-date national tour earlier this year, Butter Wouldn’t Melt now invite listeners to experience the full album in all its depth and colour. Five singles—Song for Maurice, Woman of Fire, Pieces of You, Take This to Forget, and Tertiary Blues—offered a taste of what was to come. Now, with the release of Where the roots grow deep, the complete story can finally be heard.
Where the roots grow deep is the first chapter in a two-part album journey, to be followed by Beneath the Stars Above in 2026. Together, these albums form a story in contrast—two sides of the same mountain, two worlds intertwined: one bathed in light, the other steeped in shadow. Both records showcase Butter Wouldn’t Melt’s signature local storytelling and rich harmonies, weaving contemporary folk, country, bluegrass, and Americana into a sound that is as timeless as it is deeply personal.
Fans and collectors can look forward to a limited edition sunshine-yellow vinyl, available now for pre-order via the band’s website. The vinyl will also be stocked at select record stores across the motu, including Slow Boat Records (Wellington), Herbes (Wellington), Relics (Dunedin), and Southbound Records (Auckland).
Also accompanying the release is a striking set of oracle cards, with each card tied to a song from Where the roots grow deep. Designed as a creative companion to the album, the deck invites listeners to engage more deeply with the stories behind the music. Each card includes the lyrics and chords so you can play along, a digital download link, and a short song story, and an affirmation to start your day—blending music, meaning, and mindfulness into a truly immersive experience.
Finalists for the 2023 Best Folk Artist Tūī | Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa, Butter Wouldn’t Melt features Andrea Reid (vocals, rhythm guitar), Nick Burfield (vocals, lead guitar), Cara Brasted (fiddle, vocals), Marz Connelly (double bass, vocals), and guest vocalist Kim Bonnington.
After breakthrough single releases, sold out shows across the country, Dónal Gunning releases his Sophomore EP, Zero Bucks Given.
Dónal is going from strength to strength in 2025, releasing two singles, Losing Weight & Your 1, both exceedingly well received across the globe. He achieved international radio play, successful playlist campaigns and astute critical acclaim - catapulting his fanbase to an all-time high.
Dónal is going from strength to strength in 2025, releasing two singles, Losing Weight & Your 1, both exceedingly well received across the globe. He achieved international radio play, successful playlist campaigns and astute critical acclaim - catapulting his fanbase to an all-time high.
The singles blended with additional contagious,high-energy rock songs, make for an EP that packs a serious punch. Zero Bucks Given will be available on all major streaming platforms Friday, August 29th. Dónal and his bandmates,The Bucks, will be hitting the road for a 14-date tour across Aotearoa to promote and celebrate the release this spring.
See pre-save link (here), to keep up to date with Donal's tour dates & social media click here. Dónal is currently working on his debut album, set for release in 2026.