The Advocators are carving a unique place in New Zealand’s musical landscape with a dark and gritty sound unlike any other. Previous releases have garnered tens of thousands of streams, praise from publications such as Rolling Stone Australia, 13th Floor, NZ Musician, Happy Mag, Under the Radar, and radio play across New Zealand and Australian student & community stations.

Sam’s journey into music began somewhere unexpected, sitting down at a grand piano owned by an old family friend and discovering he could play parts of songs he knew. 4 hours later, he was hooked. 

During the months of lockdown, this spark grew into something deeper, pushing him to start singing in his local church and producing on GarageBand. 

Being part of a worship band regularly gave him a solid grounding in the flow of playing live music and capturing emotion within the structure of a song, not to mention improving his voice.

As a bass player, Hamish has spent years supporting other people’s musical projects. But when a disease outbreak brought the world to its knees, it opened up time and space for a different kind of musical expression. Finding a voice in a time of chaos helped steady the internal mayhem and allowed self-expression to reign. The Strange Love album is the result of that deep dive, and a newly found faith in a previously unrealised process.

The production, co-writing, coffee, and friendship of Rhythm Ace Studio wizard Sam Johnson are a high-value affair, going all the way toward fully extracting everything a song desires—along with the mountainous contributions of local musicians.

Ammonita's alternative grunge sound captures a variety of feelings through the songs they write. From punching rap-metal tracks, to the longing sensations of their debut single 'Walnut', Ammonita encapsulates a pure love for music from the entire band. Rooted in playing gigs across venues in Ōtepoti, Ammonita is grounded in a passion for live performance. This five-piece is without question one of Dunedin's boldest new acts and we can't wait to see what's next.

Emerging in 2025 from NEW PLYMOUTH, New Zealand, Black Velvet Butchers blends rock, alternative rock, pop, blues, fusion, hard rock, experimental and reggae into a genre-defying sound.

A Taranaki trio, our music is a culmination of homegrown heart and soul, musical stories born, bred and raised on a rich history of a collective sound/genre purely known as "Kiwi Music" , whether we proudly display our influences from rock, reggae, funk, metal or blues there is a unified blend of our musical roots in our songs that will be greatly embraced by audiences worldwide, songs that show strength in groove, melody and power.

Trip Change are a dynamic band from Taranaki, Aotearoa New Zealand, crafting a rich, groove-driven sound that draws from across the globe. Blending elements of soul, roots, funk, jazz, reggae, psychedelic textures and ska, their music is a vibrant fusion of rhythm, culture and connection.

Deeply inspired by the landscapes of Aotearoa from the powerful presence of Mount Taranaki to the surrounding coastline, their sound carries an earthy, flowing energy that feels both grounded and expansive. Each track explores new layers of rhythm and melody, creating a sonic journey that is as immersive as it is uplifting.

I'm Nivaryn Dane, a 25-year-old artist and teacher based in Taihape. I have a new single called Know Yourself out April 17 and wanted to send it your way.

It’s a mix of Neil Young and 90s grunge. My previous stuff has had some play across the uni stations, and since I'm just down the road in Taihape.

Building on their reputation for honeyed melodies and high-energy grooves, Taranaki’s own Fin Rah Zel today releases their latest single, ‘TIME TRAVEL’. 

A vibrant fusion of contemporary R&B and pop-funk, ‘TIME TRAVEL’ captures a nostalgic yet fresh sound, drawing comparisons to the infectious vibes of Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson, and Anderson .Paak. 

A musical journey with a sentimental view on personal growth, ‘TIME TRAVEL’ was written and recorded alongside renowned award-winning Producer Devin Abrams. Lyrically, it’s a track born from shared stories of growing up in the '90s and early 2000s, offering a playful perspective on life's missed opportunities, as the narrative follows a young man’s transformation from the insecurities and self-doubt of youth, to finding a newfound confidence and self-belief.   

Moemoeā (Sherrie Flanagan and Chloe Danz) met through their local amateur theatre group in Taranaki. Their first song quickly came together, with an easy partnership with Sherries strength in writing lyrics and Chloe’s in composition/melody. They’ve been writing and performing ever since.

Moemoeā released their debut EP Flicker in February 2025 and have since released further singles Shh and Devil on your shoulder, all recorded and produced at Rhythm Ace Studio by Sam Johnson. Their latest single 'Hey' is set for release April 16th 2026 with 4 more to follow throughout the year.

Joe Kearns is a Christchurch born and bred singer-songwriter who's been plying his trade in Chch and trying to get his unique poppy songs heard. 

Formerly a student of the University of Canterbury's School of Music where he has an honours degree majoring in composition, he's just released his 14th single full of his usual pop/psychedelic sensibilities with intelligent and interesting lyrics.

'Forever Sun' is a personal song written about his mother as she was dying in late 2025 (very recent!). While there is sadness in the song, there's also celebration. Joe didn't want to write a dirge full of remorse, rather to help put some perspective on her passing and tell the world how he felt.