Paquin have been a driving force in Auckland music over the past four years, their unusual sound a compelling cross-section of dance, shoegaze and electro-pop. Over this time Paquin have released two of a three-part series of EPs (I and II, suitably), been nominated for the VNZMA Critics’ Choice Music Prize in 2013, and played countless shows around the country.
Paquin was born in the studio of engineer and frontman Tom Healy, who after primarily working in studio with a range of prominent Australasian artists (Tiny Ruins, Popstrangers, Jamie McDell, Jen Cloher, Die! Die! Die!), got the itch to make the stage his own. Stuart Harwood (Anthonie Tonnon, Proton Beast), Cass Basil (Tiny Ruins), Westley Holdsworth (Proton Beast) and David Flyger make up the band.
On 22 January, the third in Paquin’s conceptualised series, III, will be released, marking the culmination of a sprawling, tripartite release, also available as a box-set. With pummelling waves of sugary, electric pulses harking to the likes epic dance-pop of M83, Paquin bring anthemic hooks in bucketloads, as evidenced fromIII’s first outing, Get Here. It’s a perfect piece of unabashed pop; shimmering synthesisers and crashing drum rolls iced with an intoxicating earworm of a melody.
Paquin are hitting the road to take their epic pop production to stages around the country in celebration of III’s release. The band begin their showcase on 23 January at Auckland’s Wine Cellar, followed by Hamilton’s Nivara Lounge on 27 February. 4 March sees Paquin hit the stage at Whangarei’s Butter Factory. Further dates in other areas and support acts are to be announced - in the meantime, soak up the single and get ready for the third in Paquin’s epic series of EPs to drop.
$10 dollar door charge at each show.
