Music News

Weekly Round Up: Friday 12th January

Friday 12th January, 2018 3:51PM

We're stoked to be back in the office after a quick summer break, and the music news has already been rolling in thick 'n' fast. Highlights of the week included a candid interview with Hawkes Bay psychedelic pop artist Connan Mockasin who talked about his upcoming album Jassbusters, summer shows and recent collaborations with superstars Charlotte Gainsbourg, John Cale and MGMT. In touring news Napier-based post-rock legends Jakob will be marking their twentieth anniversary with a special North Island tour in late January / early February, and Dunedin cold-wave trio Élan Vital announced a summer tour of Australasia and shared a buzzy new video for their song 'Dreams'. Hip hop heads were well catered for with the news that Atlanta rapper and model Playboi Carti is heading our way for an Auckland show in March.

The year started off with some heavy-hitting singles, including a jovial summer-themed video from Lyttelton songwriter Marlon Williams. Grunge rock legends The Breeders announced their first album in ten years and shared its slow-burning title track 'All Nerve', and former Talking Heads singer David Byrne dropped a new tune 'Everybody's Coming To My House', the debut release from his first album in fourteen years. The week also saw solid new sounds from iconic rocker Jack White and Yeah Yeah Yeahs' singer Karen O.

We were well served for local releases, with Auckland garage rock duo Fever Party dropping their catchy debut single, songwriter Witchy (Richard Dugdale of HDSPNS, Human Resource and Shoddy) sharing a spooky four-song collection, Dunedin sci-fi noiseniks The Futurians unleashing a new track from their latest album Distorted Living, and experimental folk singer him sharing a collection of ethereal tunes recorded in the Shivalik Ranges of the Himalayas.

Ace photographer Connor Crawford was also hard at work this week, capturing great snaps of Tuesday's Cigarettes After Sex show at the Powerstation and The xx's triumphant performance at Trusts Arena alongside Fazerdaze.

Our Caught Live video for this week features Wellington mystic rockers Hex, who are heading overseas for this year's SXSW showcase in Austin Texas, and will be holding a special fundraising show with pals The Echo Ohs, Bloodbags and Blazing Shade at Auckland's Kings Arms Tavern next Saturday. Check out recent live footage of the group (who have since expanded into a four-piece) performing their excellent tune 'Gardener's Prayer' at City Gallery Wellington...