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 Vera Ellen, JessB and Indy Yelich, then take a look at what’s new below:
Swallow The Rat – “Face Unpopular”
Tāmaki Makaurau psych-post-punks Swallow the Rat dropped the title track form their forthcoming EP, which lands on May 23rd, accompanied by a video created by drummer Hayden Fritchley, who said: “The video is a rearranged fever-dream sequence which loosely reflects the cut up style of the lyrics – which in themselves are an expression of disruption, of endless anxiety.”
Tom Lark – “Fuselage”
The groove-driven third single from his second studio album, Moonlight Hotel, “Fuselage” is about “feeling resistant to change,” according to Tom Lark, aka Shannon Fowler. “When trying to do something different it can be much easier to avoid the uncomfortable and return to the familiar thing – kinda like apathy over action, which ultimately leads to frustration at a lack of progression.”
Mousey – “Dog Park”
The vintage VHS-style video for Mousey’s “Dog Park” follows two friends who stumble upon her live show while documenting their night out, visually complementing the track’s industrial, brooding sound. Serving as the final chapter for her third album, released on Winegum Records in October 2024, “Dog Park” showcases Mousey’s evolution as a songwriter. The track hit No. 2 on the Alternative Airplay charts, while the album reached No. 11 on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts and No. 15 on Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s Top 50 Albums of 2024.
Matthew Bannister – “Space and Time”
A veteran of Aotearoa’s storied Flying Nun era, Matthew Bannister continues his journey through the cosmos of sound with “Space and Time,” the latest single from his new album The Dark Backward. A nod to 3Ds’ cult classic “Outer Space” and the psychedelic wanderers of the deep South, “Space and Time” plays with the tension between the external and internal universes. “The outer world of space; the inner world of time,” Bannister muses.
Robinson – “Wild Horses”
Robinson is charging forward with “Wild Horses,” a soaring anthem that marks the latest release from her upcoming EP, Heavenly Hell of Mine (out April 16th). The Nelson-born, UK-based singer-songwriter captures the reckless abandon of surrendering to life’s uncertainties. “It captures the euphoria that comes with fully surrendering to the unknown, allowing you to fully dive into life and love,” she says. The song originated as an off-the-cuff moment on her guitar—chords that felt “euphoric and passion-filled”—before taking its final shape alongside longtime collaborator Charles Macdonald.
Lisa Crawley – “What You Can Do”
Lisa Crawley delivers a dose of raw honesty with her latest single, “What You Can Do,” a song dedicated to the world’s people-pleasers and a poignant reminder that we are more than just our productivity. “I wrote ‘What You Can Do’ about the constant questioning of my identity outside of my career as a musician and the struggle of saying no,” Crawley explains. The song’s melancholic yet hopeful tone, anchored in a delicate, Beatles-esque arrangement, makes for the perfect soundtrack to decompress after an overwhelming day.
Jack Panther – “Breathe”
Kiwi queer alt-pop artist Jack Panther, now based in London, is set to release his hotly-anticipated third EP, When I’m Feeling Better We Could Dream Together, on March 14th via Mahogany Songs. The EP’s title—a lyric from the final track “Breathe”—encapsulates the project’s theme of hope and resilience. “I feel as though my artist voice is the strongest it’s been. Every track has an outburst—a journey. Even when a song explores heart-wrenching themes, it still clings to hope. Hope for the future, hope for change.”
Brooke X Starce – “Bounce”
With a cool, rhythmic baseline and Afrobeat groove, the R&B duo’s latest single “Bounce” is an earworm sure to get stuck in your head and get your body moving. “‘Bounce’ was written, produced, and mixed by us, and we love the energy it brings!” the duo says. “The rhythm has that perfect bounce that makes us want to move—it’s giving Ambino vibes, and we’re here for it. Dance is our first love, so creating a track that we can truly vibe to was important. If we feel good listening to our music, we know we’ll perform it with that same energy, and this song gives us exactly that!”
