As a music nerd, I’ve asked almost every Kiwi I’ve met during my four months here, “What are some good bands/artists from New Zealand?” One of my bosses tried to give me some suggestions, emphasizing that I had to give a listen to Die! Die! Die!. So, when I found myself in Melbourne over semester break and saw that they were playing a gig, I stopped by the Ding Dong Lounge for a listen. Unfortunately, my wee eardrums couldn’t handle the splitting, dissonant rock and I dashed out of there after the second opener, hoping to save what cilia I had left. Clearly, Die! Die! Die! were not for me. Not to be discouraged, I continued my mission upon returning to Auckland.
I approached my other boss for suggestions, since I admire his style. Unfortunately, his jaded, pessimistic response was, “The music scene in New Zealand is dying a slow and painful death these days.” The optimist in me couldn’t accept that to be true, so that weekend I asked some guys I met at a party for some of their homeland favorites. A couple of them mumbled the names of some bands I swore were actually Australian—and they were. Bummer.
A couple of weeks later, my roommate’s coworker offered up some hip-hop artists, to whom, quite frankly, I don’t feel qualified to listen being the awkward, rhythm-less girl that I am. My coworker Hazel was finally able to suggest a couple of options that I ended up liking, but I knew if I was going to fill a healthy Spotify playlist that would remind me of beautiful Aotearoa once I’m back in the States, I’d have to turn to the Internet for answers. Here’s a playlist of some of my favorite Kiwi songs that I’ve discovered:
“Killing You” – BROODS
BROODS are probably the second biggest Kiwi act to gain some buzz in the States after Lorde. The brother-sister, indie-pop duo released their debut album Evergreen this August. “Killing You” has the potential to be a bit of a cliché, “I miss you” melodrama, with lyrics like “It’s killing me, it’s killing you, ‘cause I wish you were here.” However, the combination of Georgia’s stunning voice, accented by subtly sweet backing vocals, the pristine production, and ethereal ambience result in a moving, perfectly crafted pop song.
“Everything to Me” – Lips
Stephanie Brown, who performs as the electro-soul act Lips, is known for her “knack for capturing the bittersweet nuances of life and putting them to song” with a tinge of sly humor. This slow jam has a haunting quality that is simply hypnotizing.
“Bob Lennon John Dylan” – The Phoenix Foundation
Indie-rock band The Phoenix Foundation have been one of my favorites since high school. However, I wasn’t the biggest fan of their last release, so I was thrilled when I listened to their new EP Tom’s Lunch and heard that they regained a bit of the buoyancy I thought they had lost with Fandango. This opening track is frustratingly catchy with tongue-twisting lyrics and a mangled guitar solo. Love love love.
“Whatever Happened to Our Love?” – The Dictaphone Blues
Dictaphone Blues are a psychedelic pop-rock trio based in the lovely City of Sails, Auckland. I bought this song on a whim and when it popped up on shuffle while I was walking to work, I couldn’t help but dance my way through St. Kevin’s Arcade, much to the entertainment of the lovely people having breakfast at Alleluia Café. Feel free to visualize this embarrassing scene as you enjoy the jam.
“Blueprint” – Eden Mulholland
Though currently based in Melbourne (traitor!—just kidding, it’s a lovely city, even if it’s in Australia), electro-pop artist Eden Mulholland makes the list with his infectiously upbeat “Blueprint.” I’m currently shoulder-shimmying to the giddy piano and driving beat as I type this, fyi.
“Girlfriend” – Streets of Laredo
This folk rock band from Auckland is one of my favorite recent finds. They’d seamlessly fit in on tour with the likes of River City Extension and Good Old War with their foot-stomping percussion and jangling harmonies. Lucky for you guys, they’re now based in Brooklyn and have been busy touring the US.
“Curious Creature” – Five Mile Town
Five Mile Town are a fairly generic, alt-rock band, who remind me of a mostly de-folked Lumineers with the vocals of The Hush Sound’s Bob Morris. But the harmonies in “Curious Creature” just make my soul soar (do you want to punch me yet?)!
“House By the Beach” – Cool Rainbows
Cool Rainbows are a psychedelic indie-pop band made up of seven live musicians and headed by Djeisan Suskov and his wife Emily. The innocently cute “House by the Beach” paints a lovely picture in mind as Djeisan croons, “Living beside the ocean in a house by the beach, the crashing of waves in the morning will take the place of all our alarm bells.” Emily’s soothing “oohs” and “ahhs” combined with the lazy strumming of guitars lull you into dreams of breezy, southern Californian days. Check out the sweet music video for the song that my coworker Hazel produced:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug3_1Ne8qfM
“Straw Into Gold” Tiny Ruins
Tiny Ruins’ Hollie Fullbrook has both the strength and vulnerability of the likes of Feist and Laura Marling, but also a bluesy tinge that makes her sound original. “Straw into Gold” is perfect for rainy, late-night listening, with horns that caress and soft percussion.
Listen to the entire playlist, sans “House by the Beach,” for yourself on Spotify!
