Release Radar: Aldous Harding, Jonathan Bree, Ruban Nielson, Crossing Water, DC Maxwell, Evie Bamford, Mimic Sound, Necropolis

A release roundup... or should we now say Release Radar on a Wednesday? Hey why not — time to get up to speed with where we're at during NZ Music Month / Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa before the next end of week music release deluge. Scroll downwards for new and recent local highlights from Aldous Harding, Jonathan Bree, Ruban Nielson & Jared Mattson, Crossing Water, DC Maxwell, Evie Bamford, Mimic Sound, and Necropolis.

Based these days in the UK, Lyttelton superstar Aldous Harding's new album Train On The Island (Flying Nun Records / 4AD) has been rapturously received around the globe — garnering a notably rare 9.0 rating from Pitchfork's Jayson Greene, who proclaims it to be "the best album of her career so far." Local fans are advised to get their mitts on tickets for her spring nationwide tour of Aotearoa, before they vanish completely.

Aotearoa's globally beloved human enigma of arthouse pop, Jonathan Bree re-emerges from his studio lair with 'Savour My Love'. An expectedly stylish, trip-hop adjacent shadow ballad, featuring Rachel Clarke (Elisa) on spine-tingling lead vocals, 'Savour My Love' perhaps repositions Tāmaki Makaurau as the Bristol of the South Pacific. Ponder the mysteries whilst viewing the knockout Cher-inspired accompanying clip directed by James Milne — recent recruit to Split Enz!

Co-winner of the 2026 Classic Record award for his landmark second album with The Mint Chicks — 2006's Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! — and now an international superstar as helmsman of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ruban Nielson has announced a forthcoming collaborative album with Jared Mattson (The Mattson 2) entitled FEAR. Squiz your ears at the hypnagogic instrumental expanses of lead single 'AMERICAN EAGLE'.

Support last week in Te Whanganui-a-Tara for John Maus (one of the most energetic and sweatiest individuals I've witnessed on stage this year), Crossing Water's 'Artifice? No!' is an absolutely ripping slice of mutant pop-boogie — laudably catchy from top to tail, yet this listener wants even more. We'll have to wait until they get back home from touring merry old England and beyond as member of Vera Ellen's band.

A heartbursting ballad remembering friends passed while pushing back against "27 Club" style cliches and ideation, DC Maxwell's new single 'The Singer' is dedicated to Reuben Winter and Adison Whitley. 'The Singer' is the title track to the Australia-based Aotearoa artist's forthcoming new album, out in full on 22nd May. "The Singer is a song about the false but commonly held idea that art is disposable and artists deserve to die young. I wrote 'The Singer' after seeing the way that the media and the non-music community reacted to the deaths of two close friends of mine who died young and had their wonderful, rich and multifaceted lives portrayed in this way. I was and remain frustrated with how common this kind of ‘death of a suffering artist’ narrative is, and wanted this song to protest against that idea." If you are concerned about yourself or a friend please reach out to Lifeline at 0800 543 354. 

A frisky and crisp guitar-pop tune enlivened with city pop pizazz and a soulful centre, 'Company' is the new single from Tāmaki Makaurau multi-talent Evie Bamford. You can catch Bamford onstage at Ponsonby Social Club on 29th May (supporting Ben Chavasse) and Whammy Bar on 3rd June (supporting Jazmine Mary) — nab tickets HERE. "I wrote ‘Company’ in one of those rare moments where everything feels like it’s in the right place. The song came from this sense of excitement and clarity I felt waking up each day; knowing who I was, what I wanted, and what really mattered to me. It took me a long time to really enjoy my own company, but now it’s the best!"

Crucial sonic vibrations from Aotearoa's club underground, MIMIC001 is the booming debut offering from Ōhinehou label and club night Mimic Sound. "This release features four tracks from four local artists, each taking inspiration from across the broad spectrum of bass music in their own distinct fashion."

Heading to Tāmaki Makaurau this winter in support of Sydney's Tir at Whammy Bar on 25th July (get tickets HERE), Aotearoa dungeon synth artist Necropolis delivers a four track cycle of intense majesty, drama and darkness-enshrouded mystery on their new Firmament EP — powerfully concluding with the charred heavy riffs and medieval keys of 'Fate of the unforgiven'. "Crafted after memory of a windswept arcane valley / Moulded by empyrean forces beyond our praxis / Borne from the soil and the sky / In honour what never was, and what will never be / Our fate is known, and we will kneel."