Metal Rouge (US/NZ), The Renderers, Antony Milton, Adam Willetts

Andrew Scott and Helga Fassonaki’s Metal Rouge channels what the couple call the ‘forward motion of ecstatic jazz and drugged stasis of NYC loft minimalism circa ’66’, invoking their magical tumult and doomy elation through a vivid moiré of uplifting guitar confusion and requiem-like, choral unease. Based in LA since 2006, they have recorded albums for Digitalis, Stunned, Not Not Fun and their own newborn Emerald Cocoon. They have also toured the US extensively, playing at Root Strata’s renowned On Land festival alongside the likes of Grouper, Oneohtrix Point Never, Charalambides and Daniel Higgs; and Not Not Fun’s Neon Commune, next to Pocahaunted, Pukers, Robedoor and Foot Village.

The Renderers’ noir psych and ritual country is one of New Zealand’s most formidable musical forces, having first appeared on Flying Nun in 1990, and subsequently on Merge, Ajax, Siltbreeze and Last Visible Dog, next to artists such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Lambchop, The Shadow Ring, Guided by Voices and Fursaxa.

Antony Milton’s countless excursions into the dominion of eldritch folk and pop have included the curation of the PseudoArcana label (CJA, Birchville Cat Motel, The Skaters, Edward Ruchalski), a myriad of collaborative appearances in groups such as Claypipe, Black Boned Angel, The Stumps, Sunken and MRTYU!, and work for labels like Last Visible Dog, Music Fellowship, Tipped Bowler, Deserted Village, Black Petal, Humbug, Haamumaa, Root Don Lonie and Jeweled Antler.

Adam Willetts is a musician from Christchurch, whose synthesizer zones slip from babbled reverie to staccato rapture. He has performed and recorded in New Zealand and internationally, alongside musicians such as John Wiese, Tomutonttu, High Places and Dan Deacon.