2024 was a formative year for First Reserve, the pseudonym of Te-Whanganui-A-Tara’s Ryan Connaghan (he/they). They’ve supported visiting internationals Hot Mulligan (US) and Movements (US), and have toured with Kiwi favourites PARK RD, Wiri Donna, and Wet Denim.

The artist has amassed a cult of devoted supporters, thanks to their identifiable sound that draws inspiration from a variety of genres, including folk, rock, and pop. Connaghan affectionately refers to their music as “kinda emo, kinda queer – very catchy.” Following the release of dynamic singles “Alice” and “Telling The Same Joke Twice,”

This year First Reserve will be continuing their momentum with the single “Twenty” out February 2025, as well as a second collection of songs recorded with Tarn PK.

The 3rd studio album from award winning, indie-folk music visionary, Jazmine Mary - I Want to Rock and Roll, due for release on June 13th 2025!

Jazmine is also heading out on the road with their full band to celebrate the album release - see below for tour dates.

I Want To Rock And Roll is a trove of bright, folk gems from indie-folk visionary, Jazmine Mary. An album hopeful by circumstance, and brilliant from a few heavy seasons of artistic growth, Jazmine Mary’s glowing new collection is emotionally and texturally abundant, and is all yours to listen to this Aotearoa winter, with the new album released on June 13th 2025.

EMPYR, formerly known as the Bull's Rush, released another single from their forthcoming album. 

"Lying To Us" is more in the protest ballad vein with a heavy ending. I tried to express some personal realisation about the times we live in, alongside some anger and release.

The EMPYR is a band fighting out of West Auckland, but hailing from different places.

 The band is essentially a group of friends and collaborators drawn together by its main songwriter and instigator Tere Crane who grew up in Taranaki. Our influences are many but we all share a love of rock music and activism.

Sam’s journey into music started somewhere far removed from the club scene, singing in his local church during lockdown. Born in Zimbabwe and now based in Wellington, he turned that early passion into an obsession, learning multiple instruments and eventually studying Music Technology at Massey. Now, as both a producer and artist, he’s crafting music that blends technicality and rhythm with raw emotion. For Sam, The Good Life isn’t just a party anthem, it’s a moment of reflection. And if you find yourself questioning your choices while dancing in your kitchen, well... maybe that’s the point.  

Some songs make you move, others make you think. The Good Life does both. This is the debut Single from Sam Podmore, marking the start of a hopefully interesting career. This dance-pop track dives into the contradictions of university nightlight, its highs, its lows, and the blurry space in between. At its core, The Good Life is about wanting to belong without losing yourself. The song follows Sam, and outsider looking in on a world of parties, alcohol, and late-night chaos. One part of him wants to embrace the fun; the other feels the weight of the scene’s toxicity. This tension drives the music, pulling between hypnotic club energy and something more introspective. 

Eyes To The Stars is an extra special song that I collaborated on with a musician from London called Jono Young. We met online in 2022 - while I was singing - live streaming on TikTok. He watched and chatted with me via text in the virtual "audience".

We discussed health issues preventing him from completing his work and soon we found ourselves collaborating on this song. I fell in love with the lyrics and sentiment and created a long winded ballad that I sang often, to myself really, reminding myself to keep going. I took it in to the wonderful Rhythm Ace studio and Sam helped me refine the song and this version of Eyes To The Stars was born.

Ngamotu

9 May 25

Taranaki-based alt-blues-rock band The Mons Whaler are back with their latest offering, the evocative new single "Hold On", accompanied by the raw and rhythmic bonus track "Soft & Sweet". Following the success of their debut album Hold My Gun, the band continues to push their signature fusion of soulful blues, rock, and alternative influences into compelling new territory.

"Hold On" is an anthemic track that blends emotive lyricism with a haunting instrumental arrangement. Featuring a stirring Hammond organ intro and melancholic chord progressions, the song weaves a rich sonic tapestry that builds into an intense and heartfelt climax. Lead singer Hemi Coates (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Hine) delivers a raw and passionate vocal performance, echoing themes of resilience, longing, and hope. The lyrics capture a deeply personal narrative, exploring the weight of persistence and the search for meaning amidst uncertainty.

In contrast, "Soft & Sweet" takes a grittier, more groove-driven approach, showcasing the band's versatility. The track pulses with rhythmic intensity, carried by a dynamic interplay between bass, drums, and electric guitar. Laced with poetic lyricism and haunting harmonies, "Soft & Sweet" balances vulnerability with a defiant edge, drawing listeners into its hypnotic sway.

Recorded and produced at Rhythm Ace Studio in Oakura, Taranaki, the tracks highlight the band's continued evolution, capturing their live energy and instinctive chemistry. Their ability to seamlessly blend blues, rock, and alternative elements into a unique and resonant sound has garnered them a growing national and international following.

The Mons Whaler have built a reputation for delivering spellbinding live performances, earning them festival slots and sold-out shows. With these latest releases, the band cements their place as one of New Zealand’s most exciting musical acts to watch

Set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album on May 2nd, Dr. Reknaw’s ’MIRACLES’ represents the most authentic and expansive expression of their musical journey to date, uncovering the next layer of the sonic and spiritual evolution of the two songstress sisters.

The collection of 8 songs, all written over the last 12 months, radiate a wholesome joy and weave effortlessly through a vast array of moods and genres. Returning to their most beloved space of live band studio recording, the two front women (Julia & Sophie Cooper) met with their maestro band mates Jules Blewman ( Guitar ) and Luther Hunt ( Drums ) at the Surgery studio in Wellington to record what would become ‘MIRACLES’. While capturing the magical raw energy of live band recording the group opened a portal, through which flowed vibrations of reggae, soul, folk, worship, soul, dance music and even that which Bassist/Singer Sophie describes as ‘Nun Rock’.

“This album holds a lot of variety in terms of grooves & vibe, it's quite different to anything we’ve done before. What makes it cohesive and organic to me is the themes and concepts running through these songs. From this perspective it's very much a concept album, the concept being an open journal of the lessons life has brought our way in the last year, things we are learning and experimenting with.”

Paradiso PDE are a Wellington-based, alt-rock, dance-infused, 3-piece.

An inversion of the traditional band archetype, the act is led by vocalist & bassist Remy Davidson, reinforced by Britta Offergeld on percussion, and Ms Essem Chan on six-string.

The songs represent the coming together of a back catalog of words, ideas and hooks. We drip-feed release one track at a time (rather than releasing whole albums).

Paradiso PDE are dance-rock at heart: a gym alternate, a jumper, a bouncer-of-bod, an involuntary thrust, an arbiter of mosh.

Recorded and produced in Wellington throughout 2023 and produced by James Goldsmith (DARTZ, Wiri Donna, Recitals) Certain Death is a cinematic autobiography of the period immediately following the full development of Dawson’s pre-frontal cortex. ‘Certain Death’ is a maximalist and dramatic treatise on growing up!

The album truly shines a light on his captivating vocals and clever songwriting, It’s about as honest as he’s ever going to be. “This record took a lot out of me. I did a lot of staring at the ceiling and scratching my head, like do I really want to go there? Some things are better left in the ground, and this one felt like exhuming my own remains”.

New Zealand’s Phoebe Rings announce their debut album, Aseurai, today with a pair of new singles “Aseurai” and “Drifting.” On Aseurai, due June 6th on Carpark Records, the quartet, led by NZ jazz-school-trained pianist and songwriter Crystal Choi, adds disco and city-pop influences while staying true to the dream-pop sound of their self-titled EP. “Aseurai means around you in the atmosphere, hard to reach, fading away,” Choi says. “It’s a poetic expression. You wouldn’t say it in normal conversation, but I like that.”

While Phoebe Rings was originally a solo project of Choi’s, Aseurai marks a shift with contributing songwriting credits from the whole band, which includes Guitar/synthesist Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent, bassist Benjamin Locke and drummer/producer Alex Freer. The four musicians cut their teeth working on other notable NZ projects such as Princess Chelsea, Fazerdaze, Tiny Ruins, AC Freazy, Sea Views and Lucky Boy^. With a more ambitious collection of instruments, Choi says this album heralds the start of true collaboration: “I feel more precious about this LP because it includes everyone’s gems.” The broth is richer with more cooks in the kitchen, and the brewing of textures creates a distinct ‘Phoebe Rings’ sound.