Release Roundup: Princess Chelsea, Demons Of Noon, Romi Wrights, Frog Power + More

Christmas looms closer and the end of year office parties will soon be kicking off, so it's probably about the right time to hide away your photocopier. Enjoy this comparatively quiet moment and check out this week's coverage of French For Rabbits, Jujulipps, Memory Foam, Smokin' Daggers and Nicky By Nicky, plus even more fresh local highlights below from Princess Chelsea, Demons of Noon, Romi Wrights, Thee Artists, Frog Power, FOG, Adam Tukuri, Synthetic Children, and the ESP​.​mp3 Volume 1 compilation below.

Aotearoa's 2023 Taite Prize winning royalty Princess Chelsea is currently performing across North America with her fab band, playing a 26 date run of mostly all ages shows. The touring gang whipped up a fun and frolicsome new video for 'We Kick Around', shot amidst vintage video game units during some brief downtime in Idaho. "The band shot the video using a Sony AX53 Handycam during load out after their gig at The Shredder in Boise, Idaho". I feel that first shot has a subtle message encoded but I can't figure out what.

Notably name checked by Nathan 'Nato' Hickey of Beastwars as "my favourite new heavy band from New Zealand", Demons of Noon's debut album Death Machine is out in full on 1st December. Smash play on new pounding riff inferno 'Bad Men', preorder the vinyl LP edition via the Bandcamp link and get your butt along to their release gigs at Tāmaki Makaurau's The Wine Cellar and Pōneke's Valhalla (tickets HERE). "We are bad men living among bad men, and only one thing can calm us — we must agree to go easy on one another”.

Tāmaki Makaurau-based Tokelauan soul / jazz artist Romi Wrights unveiled the second song from her new 7" vinyl record, out now via Mānuka Recordings. A slice of heartstring-tugging, groove-heavy rich soul produced by Kenny Sterling, 'Without You' sets an immaculate scene for Wrights' forthcoming performance with US legend Lee Fields at Hollywood Avondale on 10th December. Order the strictly limited vinyl edition via the Bandcamp link.

Heroically obscure in their super city hometown yet fighting the good fight nonetheless, mystery group Thee Artists aren't shy about naming their debut two song EP Masterpieces Volume Un. Foisting fierce opinions about "Art" over a no-wavey beat is what it's all about, provoking serious hubbub amongst beret-wearing coffee sippers about whether these tunes might actually be... "too fun"?

Leaping back onto our airwaves, Ōtepoti's Frog Power deliver lo-fi brilliance on their new self-titled album. Hyper-catchy and emotionally devastating, 'my heart' has been on constant rotate on the office stereo all week, plus have you written better lyrics than "I speak in Dolphinese to dolphins / I speak the language underwater / I find solutions to our problems" in the almost Pumice-like 'echo'? Great cover artwork too.

Launched at Whanganui's Neil Roberts Day punk fiesta last Saturday, Te Ika-a-Māui four-piece FOG tear through eight snarling, head-mashing tunes recorded "at the arse-end of winter, 2023, in Te Horo" on their debut collection A Black Cloud That Swallowed The Dove. Order the limited cassette edition via the Bandcamp link.

Once known as as Dharmarat, Adam Tukiri closes another chapter with his home-recorded new album, the South Auckland rapper / producer's final release for the near future. Featuring contributions from Christoph El Truento, FABLE, Jay Knight and Hor. Tukiri's, BABE is “about a big change in my life and the weird experience of learning about what love is. I made this with the intention of it being my final album, as there’s just too much work for me to take on now. I will very likely still release singles and EPs, but yeah this is it for albums. I made it on a little 2-seater couch and recorded the majority whilst lying on the floor, for some reason”.

Te Papaioea's Synthetic Children shared a new collection of remixes of tracks from her synapse-frying latest album Everything's Perpetual. A cross section of bleeding edge Aotearoa electronic talents, contributors to Everything's Perpetual Remixes include Auto Angel, WET MOUTH, Club Tremaine (formerly Tākaro Techno Club), Impress, Fern, showponi, new mind, Just George and ABG. "All funds of this remix album on bandcamp will be forwarded to support Gender Minorities Aotearoa for their fantastic mahi, as well as towards Medical Aid for Palestinians MAP, www.map.org.uk who are on the ground in Gaza providing aid for those under occupation. There are more details on the Bandcamp page."   

Compiled by Emma Hall-Phillips (Aw B, Bad Friend) and Asher Lee (skymning, Bankrupt Records), ESP​.​mp3 Volume 1 is "a sonic support to A LIMINAL GATHERING, an anthology on grief by ELIXIR & STAR PRESS". The stellar lineup of contributors include Louisa Nicklin, D.C. Maxwell, P.H.F, Raiden Freeman and CRYER, closing with a beautifully washed out track by Reuben Samuel Winter's milk. "Thanks to Iona Winter for creating this project and allow the use of milk in this compilation".