Two Cartoons - Bubblewrap

"Bubblewrap" is off the "Tiny Terrors" EP released in October 2012, the second from the two Dunedin-based musicians that make up Two Cartoons, Brad Craig and Isaac McFarlane. I hear both are versatile instrumentalists and I look forward to seeing them live at some stage. I previously posted the charming "Better Coast", and this is similarly fresh with obvious roots in their southern musical forebears. A competent production job here as well. I understand the band have been recording in Thailand recently so I imagine we have a new EP or album due in the not too distant future. The video for "Bubblewrap" was directed by Jesse Taylor Smith (www.jessetaylorsmith.com) with photography by Jenna Eriksen. If you like "Bubblewrap", the EP is available at the link below. I have just bought it.

http://twocartoons.bandcamp.com/

Two Cartoons - Bubblewrap

Nik Brinkman - A New Language

Nik Brinkman (better known to some as "Junica") has been releasing ambient/atmospheric tracks with a distinctly cinematic feel for some time. This is his latest - with a self-directed video. If you like this side of Nik, you can download his "Night Music" album at the link below. It is a personal favourite of mine. (N.B. "A New Language" is not on this album).

http://nikbrinkman.bandcamp.com/album/night-music


Nik Brinkman - A New Language

Pieter T - Tomorrow feat. Tyna

This is not strictly my usual promotion of New Zealand talent, but never mind, there is plenty of talent at work here, from Pieter T to Tyna, to Chris Graham, one of New Zealand's best video directors. It's a very moving video (great job Chris), and it's a very serious message. NZ has a high suicide rate. "Live For Tomorrow", the project which drives this video, is looking to spread the word about what they do and (in their words) "is a project for those that are struggling with, care about, or are affected by youth suicide, depression, alcohol use, self-harm and bullying. We run media-based initiatives encouraging young people to believe in the possibilities of their future…". I have included a link to the project's website below. There is also a Facebook link. Go have a look. Especially if you are a New Zealander and your life is not great right now... I have also included a Facebook link for Pieter T, although that is probably unnecessary for 50% of NZMusic4U's readers. (I assume most NZ women have that in their favourites already).

http://livefortomorrow.co.nz/
http://facebook.com/livefortmw

http://facebook.com/PieterTOfficial

Pieter T - Tomorrow feat. Tyna OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Psychic Powers - The Portal

Psychic Powers was a one-off collaboration in 2010...between LA-based DJ, producer and composer Ale Cohen, and Nik Brinkman, driving force behind NZ's Junica. That band should be well-known to regular readers of this blog. Junica's mostly positively-reviewed album "The Celebration" has been well-represented on NZMusic4U, and this is no accident. I believe Nik is one of NZ's best commercial prospects as a songwriter, and the knowledge of a new album in the works (with some big names attached) has me impatient to see how Nik has developed his art this time round. "The Portal" was written about the "Norway Spiral" event of 2009...explained away as a Russian missile experiment gone wrong...but which once you have seen the footage, is an explanation that is possibly a little difficult to believe in. The video for this track was recently finished off by Nik from footage put together in 2011. He's pretty good at this direction thing eh? The amazing thing is the Psychic Powers "Infinity" album is available as a free download. The whole thing. And if you like well-executed 'poppy' post-punk sounds, that looks like a bargain to me. The download link is below. I have it of course.

http://psychicpowers.bandcamp.com/album/infinity

Psychic Powers - The Portal

Aaradhna - Sit With a Slouch

"Sit With A Slouch" is one of the best tracks off Aaradhna's 2012 album "Treble and Reverb". It's a great song, and I am always a sucker for strings (real or sampled), especially retro-sounding arrangements. The vocal performance on this track is also one of the best on the album. Aaradhna was recently signed by Republic Records (Amy Winehouse, Nicki Minaj) in the USA on a multi-album deal. The "Treble and Reverb" album is everything that Aaradhna needed to do to get her career to the next level, and the material fits her vocal abilities, and styling, beautifully. Looking forward to hearing how this one evolves. The video was directed by Guy Blelloch. You can buy the album at the link below.

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/treble-reverb/id573228237

Aaradhna - Sit With a Slouch

Clap Clap Riot - Everybody

Produced by Kody Nielson (Opossom, The Mint Chicks) and off their upcoming album "Nobody/Everybody", Clap Clap Riot's new single "Everybody" was actually recorded live with only a few overdubs. In order to further 'rough' the finished product up a little more, the recording was subsequently run though a tape machine. I like it. FYI the band are hitting the road in September/October and can be caught live in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Songs don't get posted here without a good video. This one is by filmed, directed and edited by Jeremy Toth with additional help on the editing by Karlie Fisher. You can download "Everybody" for free at the link below...(until the end of the tour). I have included a Bandcamp link for back-catalogue.

https://soundcloud.com/clapclapriot/everybody-1

http://clapclapriot.bandcamp.com/

Clap Clap Riot - Everybody (Official)

Die! Die! Die! - Twitching Sunshine

I just love this band. It took awhile to get there, but the "Harmony" album is a regular listen for me now, "Twitching Sunshine" being the third single off that anthology. Although not directly related to the lyrical content, the video is brilliant and an awesome diversification of the Die! Die! Die! video catalogue. It's about time this bit of 1960s history was remembered again. There were some enormous injustices that both the Black Panther Party and Malcolm X attempted to right, but the forces up against them were formidable. You can buy the "Harmony" album at the links below. I have bought it obviously!

http://www.independentmusic.com/releases/die-die-die-twitching-sunshine
http://diediedie.bandcamp.com/

The histories of both the Black Panther Party and Malcolm X are available at the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Panther_Party
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X



Die! Die! Die! - Twitching Sunshine (Official Video)

Anna Coddington - Make You Mine

This new production/arrangement partnership with Sean Donnelly has been good for the Anna Coddington sound. "Make You Mine" doesn't have the immediacy of "Bird In Hand" (which made the NZMusic4U Honour Roll for being all-round excellent), but it is creeping up on me, definitely helped by the re-appearance of clever string arrangements from Mr Donnelly. Chris O'Connor augments a drum machine backdrop with some of the real thing. Anna is on guitar and bass. The bass line I like. It doesn't shout at the listener, but I can't imagine the song without it. And of course the production is superb. It's a sad little video, ably directed by Aidee Walker with editing by Alexander Gandar. That beautiful bird artwork is by Matt Timpson. You can buy the single at the link below. I just have.

http://annacoddington.bandcamp.com/

MAKE YOU MINE  by Anna Coddington

Doprah - San Pedro

From their upcoming debut album "Wasting", "San Pedro" continues the sound that emerged with the (particularly good) first two singles from Doprah...those being "Whatever You Want" and "Stranger People". But absent those two singles, I am not sure if this video would be here. Don't get me wrong, it is a good album track. I love that Doprah 'sound' and there are some interesting things about the track, especially the delay layering that builds then fades out. But it's not a single. Hopefully there is a video coming for one of those first two singles. They both deserve a good one. And Julian Vares ("San Pedro" director/DOP) is probably the right person to do it. I like what he has done here. Put "San Pedro" alongside the first two singles, and we still have a small but very good body of work that hints at one of the most exciting new bands to emerge over the last twelve months. Wondering who Doprah are? There is now quite a few live extras, but the core is Christchurch's Steven Marr from Ipswich, and Auckland's Indi Force, an extremely promising emerging solo artist in her own right. The single is a free download from the link below.

http://doprah.bandcamp.com/

Postscript/Mea Culpa: Repeated playings of this have me changing my tune. It is still not a single. But there is something really infectious about this track. And I love the video.

Doprah | San Pedro | Music Video

Ghost Wave - Here She Comes

Off their new album "Ages", due out globally on Flying Nun on August 27th 2013, director Stuart Page gives us a good-looking, New York-domiciled video for "Here She Comes"...from a band that sounds like it is the perfect bridge between the old Flying Nun and that nasty little thing which might be called the 'modern music market'. A great hook, dynamics and very good production. And of course the nasally-emphasised vocal performance working against those awesome guitar riffs. I love it. Ghost Wave know how to do psychedelic/indie rock. Please read the excellent Martyn Pepperell interview with the guys at the link below (in "|Rip It Up" mag). And if you feel like buying something, there is the Bandcamp link as well.

http://ripitup.co.nz/contentitem/interview-ghostwave-vs-the-usa/4212
http://ghostwave.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ghostwavetheband.com/

Ghost Wave - Here She Comes

Sheep, Dog & Wolf - Egospect

Writing this blog has had a profound impact on my awareness of the talent that continues to emerge from this tiny country. It sometimes astounds me. Part of it is the democratization of technology which has liberated what might previously have been suppressed. But there is also something else I have alluded to in previous posts. The environment here, although not completely benign, is still pretty supportive for those who want to just 'be themselves' artistically. I had not heard of Daniel McBride prior to this week. Of course he has only been on this planet 19 years or so, so maybe that's not surprising. But considering in his limited lifespan he has already released an EP called "Ablutophobia" that made it into the pages of Italian Vogue and The Guardian's (UK) music blog, and is about to tour Europe with the same guys who toured Sigur Ros, Antony & the Johnsons and Cocorosie, there is quite a lot to be impressed by. He has recently signed with Lil' Chief Records. They might just have got themselves a corker here. Although it is just this single I have heard so far, it hints at someone with a talent sitting at parity with artists like James Blake. Daniel writes, performs, records and produces all the parts here. He plays 8 or 9 instruments on the new album (also called "Egospect") from which this single hails. Daniel says the album "is essentially an inspection of myself" with " a lot of angst and worries and fears". This single though is more optimistic and looks to "the future and being excited - still scared and worried but also excited and hopeful and happy". He has reason to be optimistic. I have provided a link to Lil' Chief Records below where you can pre-order the new album which is scheduled to be released August 23rd. The video is directed by Ali Burns by the way. So appropriate to the material.

http://blog.lilchiefrecords.com/2013/08/new-single-from-new-artist-sheep-dog.html

http://sheepdogandwolf.com/




Sheep, Dog & Wolf - Egospect

Jay Knight - Storm Feat. Amarafleur & K*SABA

New Zealand seems to have a long and growing list of prodigies. One of these is Jay Knight whose production skills came to my attention with Louie Knuxx's "Stan Howse". His ability to create three dimensional vibes which can be simultaneously 'hooky' and challenging, is reason enough to rate him. But his visual creativity stands out as well. This video is a good example. Jay has been lucky to be able to work with some very talented collaborators which have included some of New Zealand's best MCs, such as Raiza Biza, Diaz Grimm, and INF (the list is long). In this example we have the amazing but not widely-known Amarafleur on vocals (w/ an almost Billie Holiday-like performance), and K*SABA adding a saxophone track that lifts the chorus just at the right moment. Amarafleur is Thandi Ntshinga. She was born in South Africa but has since lived in Tanzania and India. This is her first official music release. If "Storm" is any indication, further releases will be noticed. K*SABA is Karnan Saba, a self-taught instrumentalist, composer and producer who has been involved in a range of beats releases/collaborations over the last few years. His "Escape EP" is a personal all-time favourite of mine. "Storm" is off Jay Knight's May 2013 "E + M" album which I own, and if 'beats' are your thing, I strongly recommend it. You can buy "E + M" and the more recent (yes he is prolific!) "Silver Luck" album at the link below. I  have included a link to K*SABA's "Escape EP" and other work as well.

http://jayxknight.bandcamp.com/album/e-m

http://ksaba.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/k-saba



Jay Knight - Storm (Feat. AMARAFLEUR & K*SABA)

Tom Lark - Go Get A Job

This is the first single off Tom Lark's upcoming new album. Tom was signed to Universal as part of an international deal about six months ago and I know some in the industry have great hopes for him. I do. I will try and find out more and update this post when I do. In the interim, enjoy some Tom Lark awesomeness in this brilliant new video for "Go Get A Job" directed by Sam Kristofski, seen elsewhere on this blog in KidsOf88, Opossom and UMO videos. The single sounds almost a little Mint Chicks/Opossom-ish. It's still Tom though.You can buy his historical material at the link below.

http://tomlark.bandcamp.com/

Tom Lark - Go Get A Job