Each week, Rolling Stone AU/NZ highlights our favourite New Zealand music from the past seven days.
Check out last week’s picks featuring Fazerdaze, Theia, Hans., and check out newer highlights from Wiri Donna, WHO SHOT SCOTT, Jim Nothing, Pocket Money, TOI, P.H.F. Indyah below.
Wiri Donna – “Stop Charades”
Pōneke’s multi-talented Wiri Donna (aka Bianca Bailey) is back with a bang on her latest single “Stop Charades.” With a new EP and a six-date national tour on the horizon, Bailey delivers a powerful track with a heavy, Paramore-esque chorus. She’s here to rock, and this single makes that crystal clear.
WHO SHOT SCOTT – “LIL BIT OF HOT”
Auckland’s WHO SHOT SCOTT cranks up the intensity on “LIL BIT OF HOT,” packing bass, drum breaks, and distorted guitars into a chaotic, catchy anthem. The frenetic chorus is pure energy, but there’s a raw honesty beneath the noise.
“To me, this track is a huge Stockholm Syndrome-type beat,” WHO SHOT SCOTT says. “Some years ago I was in the talking stages with a girl who was extremely sweet, kind and sincere. However, at the time I had just gotten out of what I considered to be an extremely toxic relationship and was still weirdly attached to the false ideas and habits that had been ingrained in my psyche as a result.
“In hindsight, I now see that I still needed to heal, and I’m grateful to say that I have. While that situation is somewhat regrettable, I believe everything happens for reasons beyond our understanding. Without sounding naively optimistic, at least I’m now able to channel the pain into a piece of art.”
Jim Nothing – “Wildflowers”
Jim Nothing captures a sweet summer sound with “Wildflowers.” Strummy guitar and poetic lines about hot December days, sticky melted tarmac, and dreaming about doing nothing – total bliss. His laid-back delivery transports you straight to a New Zealand summer, making this another garage-pop gem from his upcoming album, Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn.
“It’s a song about walking home from literally any beach in NZ summer. The road gets really soft and you kind of just melt into it. It’s a really lovely feeling,” he shares.
Pocket Money – “Anxious Brain”
From thinking about nothing to thinking about everything, Tāmaki Makaurau-based power-pop trio Pocket Money battle a “fast-paced mind race” with their new single, “Anxious Brain.”
The hard-hitting track explore mental health and anxiety, capturing the struggle with lines like, “Anxious brain in my way, I can’t seem to think,” and sonically matching the spike of panic that often comes during anxious moments.
Yon Loader
Yon Loader, a new-ish project led by James Stuteley of Carb on Carb, have just released their self-titled debut album. Featuring eight contributors and produced by Harry Lilley, the sweeping 11-track collection fills the void left by Carb on Carb’s imminent end.
Out now via US indie label Tiny Engines, expect a lively, melodic emo sound with lyrical nods to mid-west New Zealand. Collaborating with artists Tommy Wroe (Fouler), Olivia Grace Wilding (Recitals), Miles Sutton (Welcomer), William Roud (Model Home) and Victoria Chellew (Bad Friend), it’s a must-listen for fans of ’90s emo or Stuteley’s previous work.
TOI – WAVES
Wellington collective TOI’s new album, WAVES, is a feel-good blend of soulful R&B and funk. Produced by Neil MacLeod and Ben O’Leary from Drax Project, and completed in their home studio, the album shows off TOI’s range. From the laid-back groove of “Wired” to the dreamy sound of “Essence” and the upbeat, sax-driven “Get To Know You,” WAVES is perfect for rolling right into summer.
But WAVES also marks TOI at their most personal. “We were just boys back when the band started. Over the years, a lot has changed for us all and it’s shaped who we are today. The result is a record that touches on far more personal topics than we’ve ever written about before. Many of which are all part of the cycle of life; feelings and experiences that others can hopefully relate to,” they share.
P.H.F. – Suffer
The musical project of the prolific and provocative Joe Locke, Auckland’s genre-hopping innovator P.H.F. has just released his 12th album, adding to his already dizzying catalogue that spans almost any genre you can think of. Suffer aims to “confront the overwhelming feeling that we’ve all failed,” offering brief moments of comfort while suggesting that the only way out is through finding joy amid apathy.
Indyah – “Every Damn Song”
Rounding out this week’s roundup is Auckland-based artist Indyah with her first single since 2023’s “Bite Back.” “Every Damn Song” exudes relatable broodiness and was written in LA with Kiwi pop powerhouse Georgia Nott of BROODS and Georgia Gets By.
