Release Roundup: The Fuzzy Robes, Emojion, Lorde, Tami Neilson, David Dallas, Beth Torrance, Joe Ghatt + More

If you thought a short week means a truncated roundup, then you better think twice buster — there's plenty of top quality new / recent Aotearoa releases to dip into during the Easter break. Scroll downwards for fresh works by The Fuzzy Robes, emojion, Lorde, Tami Neilson, David Dallas, Beth Torrance, Joe Ghatt, Seismic State and les fuzz minou.

Glory has come to thee this Easter weekend, given musical shape as Midday Prayers by Ōtautahi's The Fuzzy Robes — marking the historic departure and surprise return of Baby J with eight "prayer-psychedelia" tunes via Winegum Records. Not unlike a previously undiscovered god-bothering Nuggets compilation mysteriously brought to light by the love of The Lord, Midday Prayers radiates heavenly messages of universal peace, passion and acceptance. "A natural continuation of the group’s meditative approach to adapting the New Zealand Prayer Book, He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa for the modern ear".

The new computer music project from A.C. Freazy mastermind Alex Freer (Tiny Ruins, Phoebe Rings), emojion's vol. 1 finds a sonic sweet spot between post-Faltermeyer CMR-level vaporwaveyness, Patrick Cowley-esque nite grooves and half-remembered coffee time jingles from who knows when or where. Simply... immaculate.

Aotearoa pop musician Lorde returns after three years between singles with a suitably groove-heavy and dare I say new wavey take on Al Green's 'Take Me To The River', iconically performed by Talking Heads in Jonathan Demme's 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense — from A24's forthcoming star-studded Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Stop Making Sense Tribute Album.

For the second release from her Neilson Sings Nelson series, 2023 APRA Best Country Music Song Award winner Tami Neilson sings a tender rendition of 'Always on My Mind' — sung by many musical legends over the years including Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley and Pet Shop Boys. Neilson's version is of course a homage to the work of Nelson, featuring footage filmed within the vault at the US country icon's Pedernales Studio in Texas.

With minimal fuss, Aotearoa hip hop heavyweight David Dallas follows back-to-back killer cuts 'All Gas' and 'Bourdain' with the release of his first new album in seven years VITA, produced by 41. "VITA is out there in the world. I really hope everyone likes it, but it won’t cripple me if you don’t — I think they call that growth".

Attracting a fanbase with her emotionally stirring 2022 debut collection let​’​s move to the seaside and never feel lonely again (superbly co-produced by Karl Steven), Tāmaki Makaurau songwriter Beth Torrance is back with an intimate title track to new EP Tiny Flowers via Particle Recordings. "Often when I’m writing songs, I’m thinking consciously about crafting this scene or memory I have in my mind through lyrics, whether those are written on the spot or taken from poetry. But sometimes I reach this point of inspiration where writing ceases to become a conscious process of construction: the ideas appear as images and feelings and the lyrics write themselves. ‘Tiny Flowers’ was one of those songs".

Conjuring guitar-psych magic from his wizardly studio lair, Joe Ghatt reemerges with his first official single in five years 'Always Remember', a nifty first taste from the Tāmaki Makaurau artist's upcoming sophomore album Caper — out in full on 17th June 14th via TESR, Echodelick Records (USA) and Six Tonne de Chair (France). "It’s a reminder to keep true to yourself and those core values when the tides turn — don’t forget them. It’s a special one for me as the lyrics were almost like a premonition".

Playing Masterton's The Next Big Thing extravaganza on 27th April (tickets HERE), Pōneke's Seismic State are sure to bring the house down with their mammoth new rock stomper '2 Homes'. "2 Homes is about feeling at home in multiple places or countries. It describes how home is not attached to a place but rather where you are surrounded by people love and where you feel free".

Embodying "free jazz for sonic dominant terrestrial vertebrates" on their new two track release, Ōtautahi adventurers in sound les fuzz minou roll out the dinosaur-on-skateboard expanses of 'Super Sonic Sauropod', then sink deep into the other-dimensional tar pits of 'Bela Lugosi Dubbed Out In a Garden Shed' — get stuck in.