Dive into Rolling Stone AU/NZ‘s weekly roundup of our favourite New Zealand music from the past week. Explore the freshest tracks from local artists in Aotearoa between March 4th-March 10th below.
CHAII – “Fun”
This week, your playlist gets a jolt of energy from CHAII, the Persian-Kiwi dynamo. Her latest track, “Fun” is a hypnotic burst of skittering electronica courtesy of collaborator Frank Keys. It’s the third single from her upcoming album, following last years’ singles “Drippin’ In Gold” and “Main Thing”. Currently blazing through her first US tour including a pitstop at Austin’s influential music conference SXSW, CHAII declares, “It’s the ‘I’m just getting started’ song.”
Casual Healing – “Up & Down”
With each new single drop from his upcoming album, Driftwood, Pōneke artist Nikau Te Huki, aka Casual Healing, shows off more of his effortless and unique style. “Mauri Tau” was a watery, soulful ballad sung in te reo Māori, “Hori House” experimented with saxophone and funk tones, and “Chasing Rainbows” indulged in tender spoken-work balladry. His latest “Up & Down” is a sun-soaked blast of roots and reggae, hinting at even deeper depths to come from this talented artist.
Muroki – Timezones
Muroki’s latest EP, Timezones, boasts seven tracks flaunting his soulful vocals and genre-hopping skills. From the breezy “Bad Dreams” to the funk-filled “Tight Rope”, and the spacey R&B of “Love Cocoon” featuring Benee, this EP cruises with smoothness. Closing with the title track, “Timezones”, Muroki leaves us longing for more with his expansive production and heartfelt vocals.
Mel Parsons – “Little Sadness”
Mel Parsons sings with world-weariness on “Little Sadness”, a slow-burning indie-folk ballad about life’s ups and downs. This track, the second single from Parsons’ upcoming LP, was produced in collaboration with Josh Logan at Lyttelton’s Basement Studio.
Fraser Ross – “Thunderhead”
Ōtautahi indie-folk artist Fraser Ross delivers a soul-stirring tune on recovery and change. Written during his American road trip and named after a Montana artist camp, Ross confronts his past head-on. With a Kevin-Morby-esque croon and twinkling guitar strums, the track builds into a lush soundscape, thanks to Surgery Studios’s Lee Prebble. The accompanying video is a whimsical ride through Christchurch on a Lime scooter, wrapping up with a daring toss of the scooter off New Brighton pier, signaling Ross’s readiness to forge ahead.
RIIKI REID – SKIN EP
RIIKI REID’s SKIN EP reveals her emotional side with a trio of stripped-back R&B ballads. Featuring the lead single “Home With You” and the moody Balu Brigada collab “Like You”, the EP’s title track crashes in with heartbreak and vulnerability: “Walking you out my step, thinking you out of my head.” Though shattered, she’s ready to move forward: “Starting to repair now.”
