Release Radar: Cuticles, Romi Wrights, Roy Montgomery, Jonathan Bree, Sojourner, Same Name Confusion + More

Revisit our coverage of Magic Factory, deepState, Anthonie Tonnon, HINE, Francisca Griffin, Beth Torrance and Paradox Princess, read our interviews with HINA, Vera Ellen and No Doggy!, then explore more new / recent local highlights below by Cuticles, Romi Wrights, Roy Montgomery x Martha Skye Murphy, Jonathan Bree, Sojourner, Same Name Confusion, ngaru, Gareth Thomas, and Kirsten Morrell.

Ambassadors of Ōamaru's noisy underground, Cuticles answer the question "what's even better than some joy?" with an absolutely jam-packed new album via legendary Philadelphia imprint Siltbreeze. More Joy swirls together previously released hits like 'Ogled Moat' with a bunch more unheard (at least to me) noise-punk / no wave insta-classics for our decrepit modern era. "Warts & all, never looking back, More Joy is roaring straight for thine skull & you could do worse than hop on & enjoy the ride. It's a doozy." Seconded!

Connecting dots between hemispheres like some kind of world-dominating entity, Cuticles have also shared a skronkin' new collection for those wishing to relish their onstage magic from afar — the fairly self-explanatory Cuticles Go Live in France & Dunedin.

Already a critically adored Aotearoa soul sensation, Te Whanganui-a-Tara-based singer-songwriter Romi Wrights unveiled this week her debut album Andy. The latest release from the still flawless Mānuka Recordings, label co-founder Kenny Sterling wore multiple production, composing and co-songwriting hats for the golden-toned record, whose instrumental contributors include "members of Clear Path Ensemble, LEAO, The Circling Sun, and some of Wrights' nearest and dearest." Wrights shared: "This album is the realisation of a dream I’ve carried for a long time, inspired and brought to completion by the memory of my dear friend."

Co-creator of the first ever release on Flying Nun Record (The Pin Group's 1981 single 'Ambivalence'), Roy Montgomery is still operating on the bleeding edge of sonic activity, prepping ears for a new collaborative album with UK vocalist / songwriter Martha Skye Murphy via London imprint AD 93. Sink into the textural expanses of 'At Dawn' before Nebular is out in full next Friday.

The consistently bedazzling Jonathan Bree pairs slinky, Can-like grooves with glowering energy and cheeky hall-of-mirrors masked choreography by Rebecca Stitt on 'Game' — from his forthcoming new double album Don’t Call It Love via Lil' Chief Records.

Their membership based between Ōtepoti Dunedin, Sweden and Italy, Sojourner have been reaping praise from fans across the globe for their new atmospheric black metal opus Gateways — out now via Italian darkness dwellers Avantgarde Music.

Making a welcome return following exaggerated reports of their demise, Same Name Confusion have been chipping away as trans-Tasman project, launching their new album SNC on 18th September via Wine Gum Records. Very generously sharing four tracks in advance of the full release, boogie down with the DFA / (early) Shocking Pinks-adjacent dance-punk of 'Topping and Tailin', 'This Family Counts Calories', 'Sleepyhead' and 'Shame on You!'

Tāmaki Makaurau electronic producer / DJ ngaru leads listeners on an intricately constructed beatscape journey with their debut EP Machine Learning — succinctly described as "4 tracks exploring my different influences."

Inspired by witnessing Mermaidens letting rip at a New Year's festival, 'Lilly Knows Electricity' is a new psych-pop-groover from Goodshirt frontman Gareth Thomas — launched with appropriately frazzled CRT visuals directed by Briar March.

Goldenhorse lead singer Kirsten Morrell unveiled her first solo album since 2010, combining all her recent singles plus three fresh tunes to forge the new sunny pop-rock element of Morrellium. "Overall, Morrellium was created during a global pandemic, climate change, lockdowns, fun times and not so fun times, but most definitely with a lot of love and help from my whānau and friends."