Here’s Rolling Stone AU/NZ‘s weekly roundup of the freshest sounds in New Zealand music.
Missed last week’s picks? Catch up on VOOM, and SODA BOYZ, then dive into what’s new:
Perfume Genius – “No Front Teeth (ft. Aldous Harding)”
Still waiting on new Aldous Harding? Same. In the meantime, the Kiwi folk enigma lends her signature airy vocals to Perfume Genius’ latest, the second taste of his upcoming album. “No Front Teeth” is as raw and ethereal as you’d expect from this experimental duo, building to a gloriously jagged finish. The track lands with a fever-dream music video—”unhinged, sexually charged, hilarious, and riveting.” Watch it immediately.
Serebii – “Dime”
Tāmaki Makaurau multi-instrumentalist Serebii (Callum Mower) crafts introspective, soul-leaning soundscapes, and “Dime” is no exception. Stripped-back and soothing, it leans on finger-plucked guitar and wistful vocals to set the mood.
Balu Brigada – “The Question”
Ahead of a completely sold-out US headline run, Balu Brigada deliver a woozy, late-night anthem with “The Question.”
“The Question is a late night love song set in some of the grungier parts of New York City,” they explain. “Wounded romantics, a sprinkling of starving artists, and a few trust fund babies all converging to make the wonderful tapestry of a city that charges you 3 thousand dollars to live in a rat infested hallway.”
Jack Panther – “Just a Dog”
London-based Kiwi Jack Panther keeps the momentum going ahead of his third EP next month with this moody, slow-burning track that builds to a grungy climax.
“I wrote it during my first winter here in London, it was cold, the sun was setting so early and I feel that you can really hear the longing in my vocals and the sound,” he adds. “It’s about falling in love with a friend and instead of telling him how I felt, I wrote this song. A lot of songs I write about things left unsaid, and this might be the most intimate one of mine yet.”
Alien Weaponry – “1000 Friends”
Metal trio Alien Weaponry come out swinging with “1000 Friends”, a relentless new cut from their upcoming third album Te Rā, out Friday, March 28th via Napalm Records.
