Release Roundup: Strawpeople, Hybrid Rose, T. G. Shand, Amamelia, Karl Sölve Steven

"Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slipping into the future / Doo doo doo-doo". The Neville Brothers' rendition of 'Fly Like An Eagle' echoes through my mind as we return to the UTR roundup zone, seven days having flashed by like sands through the hourglass. Revisit our week's coverage of Beastwars, Shepherds Reign, Vor-stellen, Amiria Grenell, Albi & The Wolves and The Larry Normans, then scroll down for even more fresh Aotearoa releases from Hybrid Rose, T. G. Shand, Amamelia, Karl Sölve Steven and Strawpeople.

Now based in Tāmaki Makaurau, cyber-pop singer / producer Hybrid Rose aka Rose Windeler announced today her sixth album Mutation will be out this Halloween via unstable records. Smash play immediately on the glammed-up video for sizzling lead single 'Hugs n Kisses', made by local production company K with support from NZ On Air. "Hugs n Kisses is about being so obsessed with someone that it drives you crazy. Love can change you, in any or every single possible way. I really wanted the sound to embody the 2008-2010 electro-pop style. It's such a significant sound that's grimey and sexy. I wanted to go in a popgirl rockstar direction, so there had to be some filthy synths and poppy chords".

Ōtautahi dream-pop / shoegaze artist T. G. Shand seems to have a magic touch, unveiling five transcendent yet satisfyingly crunchy tunes on her self-produced Cinnamon EP — featuring guest drummer Cory Champion (Clear Path Ensemble) on 'Fatwood' and 'Streets'.

Two new Amamelia-related releases emerged this week — a liquid breakbeat-injected remix of Brooklyn producer Null Object's 'Glacial Field' from bleeding edge NYC imprint Music Website (who have also worked with Aotearoa vaporwave star Satin Sheets), and a simply magical piano cover of Amamelia's 'Lemon Magnolia' (from her superb latest album Bananamelia!) by local musician Grelj.

Strutting his stuff at The Wine Cellar with band including Che-Fu on the decks a couple of weeks ago, multi-award winning composer Karl Sölve Steven today unleashed the original motion picture soundtrack for director Nathan Price's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a #@%! — featuring Mark Perkins (Merk) on uplifting opener 'Momento Mori'. "The Album of the Movie of the Book! Take your existentialist Vitamin C in musical form, turn on your phone torch, and follow (host / interviewee) Mark Manson into the recesses of the modern mind".

Aotearoa electronic dance / pop pioneers Strawpeople have returned as the core duo of Paul Casserly and Fiona McDonald, unveiling today the project's first new album in nearly 20 years Knucklebones — featuring Matthias Jordan (Pluto) on keys, Nick Atkinson (Supergroove) on sax, drummer Chris O’Connor (The Phoenix Foundation), Mark Hughes on bass, plus a cameo appearance from Auckland busker Luke Hurley on guitar. "I called Paul when we got the master back, and said, good job us," stated McDonald. "Paul has always been my favourite writing partner. We usually agree on things and for some reason our outsized egos don’t seem to overlap".