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 Erny Belle, Phoebe Rings, and Borderline, then check out what’s new below:
Mim Jensen – “Safe in Body”
Mim Jensen’s quickly making a name for herself as one of the most exciting indie acts in the local game. Currently touring with Shihad and gearing up to open for The Beths in Auckland, the Ōtautahi artist is on fire. Her latest single, “Safe in Body”, is packed with the kind of soaring indie sound that fans of Julia Jacklin will instantly connect with.
Reb Fountain – How Love Bends
Reb Fountain is back with How Love Bends, and it’s every bit as striking as it is hopeful. The album explores “the transformative nature of love in all its forms,” and the lead single, “He Commands You to Jump Into the Sea”, comes with a stunning video shot at Connells Bay on Waiheke Island and directed by Fountain’s daughter, Lola Fountain-Best.
Catch Fountain and her band on the road this April and May, with shows across Aotearoa (see dates here).
ASHY – “Ottoman”
Christchurch pop artist Ashy Batchelor – aka ASHY – is making a bold return with “Ottoman”. Written in Sydney after her SXSW showcases there in 2023, the track signals the start of a new chapter – burning bridges and moving on. It’s a confident preview of ASHY’s upcoming project, which has yet to be named.
Robinson – “Wild Horses”
NZ-born, UK-based Robinson slows it down with the heartfelt “Wild Horses”, the fourth teaser for her upcoming EP. “It captures the euphoria that comes with fully surrendering to the unknown,” she says, “allowing you to fully dive into life and love.”
SUB-TRIBE – “WOMANKIND”
SUB-TRIBE drop their soulful, reggae-infused track “WOMANKIND”, just in time for International Women’s Day, paying tribute to “all the significant female souls we’re lucky to have in our lives.”
Jude Kelly – “Clarence’”
Jude Kelly keeps the momentum rolling after recent singles like”Siren Song” (featured in our Song You Need to Know series) with the announcement of her debut EP, The Seven Spirits of Her, dropping May 9th.
Up next is the bold “Clarence”, another shoutout for International Women’s Day. “Think ‘You Don’t Own Me’ by Lesley Gore meets Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill,” Kelly shares. “She’s a ‘kick ’em to the curb with a kiss on the hand’ kinda woman.”
Sola Rosa – New Tomorrows
To celebrate 25 years of Sola Rosa, producer Andrew Spraggon drops New Tomorrows, an EP that blends hip-hop, jazz, funk, and soul. It’s a nod to his signature sound before he shifts gears for his next album, due in late 2025.
“This EP is significant for me,” Spraggon says. “It captures the vibe of the last few Sola Rosa releases which were more focused on live instrumentation and serves as a bridge between ‘Chasing the Sun’ and the next chapter of the project.”
XUZZ – “A Light”
XUZZ is the alt-pop project of Alexander Grant, an artist hailing from Invercargill, raised in Dunedin, and now based in Auckland. After a string of alt-pop singles, he’s back with what he calls his biggest track yet, “a song about searching, falling, and finding something to hold on to.”
