Haere mai to Rolling Stone NZ‘s new weekly roundup of the best New Zealand music from the past seven days. Dive into the freshest releases by Aotearoa artists between November 13th-19th below.
Molly Payton – “Asphalt”
Restlessness flows through “Asphalt”, a rich and intimate track from Molly Payton, the Auckland-born, London-based singer-songwriter. “I haven’t been sleeping,” she laments over a blur of vocal glitches, rising instrumentals, and layered harmonies. The song taps into the feeling of being a little lost without reaching a clear conclusion, but its relatability carries a hopeful undertone.
FABLE – “Please!”
Papakura artist FABLE keps the good vibes going from “Popstar In Manix” with a chill summer jam perfect for the weekend. In his laid-back words, “The vibes for this track are Friday after mahi, drained but happy, sinking some kava and just chilling.”
Mel Parsons – “Offer Down”
Mel Parsons – the award-winning indie folk artist set to support The Teskey Brothers on their upcoming NZ tour – makes a spirited return with this jaunty track about the slog of being an independent musician. “There’s an offer down, offer on the table,” she croons atop deep guitar lines, her burnished vocals weaving through the track’s rhythmic groove.
PollyHill x Samara Alofa – AQUARIES
Having tracked the solo careers of Tāmaki Makaurau artists PollyHill and Samara Alofa, the anticipation surrounding their collaborative album, AQUARIES, had us excited. With a playful nod to Outkast’s seminal 1998 release Aquemini, combining their star signs, the alien-centric album highlights the duo’s collaborative magic. Our favourite from the new release is “Alien Sex”, a slow and seductive track that places PollyHill’s trip-hop production and Alofa’s lofty R&B vocals front and centre.
Amanda Palmer – “Little Island” feat. Julia Deans
Amanda Palmer and Julia Deans share a complicated love letter to New Zealand, exploring our ties to the past and the meaning of ‘home’. Their melodic refrain, “Oh, I owe you, little island / little island bigger than my mind,” gradually builds into a harmonious crescendo of solidarity. This is the first single from a new EP by the American singer-songwriter, written during her unexpected stay in Aotearoa with her young son during the pandemic.
Jupita – Want You Back
In Jupita‘s debut EP, Want You Back, the emerging London-based artist from Tāmaki Makaurau brings a fresh set of catchy pop tunes with relatable lyrics, all about the ups and downs of a breakup. “I wanted the EP to sound kind of nostalgic. I looooove pop music so chorusey guitars, long synths, punchy snares so that’s all in there somewhere. Sometimes I’m not really sure where my music fits, but I like it!” Jupita explains.
