Music News

Weekly Roundup: Friday 26th October

Friday 26th October, 2018 5:21PM

This week we discovered a short week doesn't mean less exciting news announcements, just less days to cram them into! It was a great one for massive tours - British indie rock stars Arctic Monkeys are returning to Aotearoa for an Auckland headline event with LA's Mini Mansions this March, feedback-loving Scottish indie legends The Jesus And Mary Chain are playing shows in Auckland and Wellington also in March, UK electronic punks The Prodigy are heading back our way for an Auckland show in February, infamous scene-defining Madchester crew Happy Mondays are hitting Aotearoa to play their landmark 1990 album Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches in February, and NYC hip hop legends Jungle Brothers are joining the ever-expanding bill for Splore Festival 2019.

Lovers of emerging contemporary sounds didn't get the short end of the stick - LA pop experimentalist Julia Holter is heading our way with live band for her debut show in Aotearoa this summer in celebration of the release of her new album Aviary, Bristol posi-punk quintet IDLES are storming stages in Auckland and Wellington this January, genre-bending Dallas hip hop celeb Post Malone is playing at Auckland's Spark Arena in May, New Zealand-born pop megastar Kimbra is squeezing a Wellington headline show in between support slots for David Byrne's upcoming national tour, Christchurch guitar-slingers Salad Boys and The Ruling Elite are traversing the South Island in November and December, and local songwriters Tom Cunliffe and Emily Fairlight are joining forces for a four date tour of New Zealand.

We had the privilege of featuring an illuminating conversation between Wellington-raised, LA-based songwriter Jess Cornelius (Teeth & Tongue) and Martyn Pepperell ahead of her homecoming Wellington show in early November, and a senses-shattering chat between Wellington punks Unsanitary Napkin and our very own Fluffy in advance of their performance at this weekend's Whammyfest 2018. We were thrilled to premiere five fabulous musical works this week - a haunting video from Auckland nightmare country artist Vincent H.L, the catchy sophomore single from lo-fi pop artist Créme Jéan aka Bradley Fafejta (Brand New Math), a futuristic 360 VR video from Auckland via Dunedin duo Two Cartoons, an infectiously catchy guitar-pop single from multi-talented former Motorcade frontman Eden Mulholland, and the very first song shared by Tāmaki Makaurau subterranean "goth glam grunge psych" crew Shoddy, whose lineup features members of Jack’s Cold Sweat, Human Resource, Witchy and HDSPNS.

Local highlights included the mind-expanding new instrumental album from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, a bumping six track collaboration between Rwanda / New Zealand rapper Raiza Biza (High Beams) and Melbourne's Remi produced by Detroit hip hop maestro Black Milk, a frenetic seven track debut collection from Christchurch hardcore punx Zhukov, a dazzling new single and animated video from Ladi6, and the blissful ninth release from award-winning songwriter Lawrence Arabia's 2018 Singles Club, 'A Walk In The Suburbs'.

Our Caught Live video for your pre-Halloween weekend inspiration features Auckland art-pop master Jonathan Bree, whose mysterious masked band is embarking on a long-awaited national tour this November in celebration of his stellar new album Sleepwalking. Get psyched for the upcoming shows via dreamlike footage of Bree and band's already legendary live appearance at 2017's The Others Way Festival, performing 'Weird Hardcore' from his 2015 sophomore album A Little Night Music...