SoundBites: Louis Baker, Ha the Unclear, The Slacks

Louis Baker's new single is Black Crow. Photo / Richard Parsonon

Louis Baker is back with a new single - the first track from a new record due later this year.

Black Crow is a song about exorcising your demons, leaving the past behind and gaining wisdom through experience.

Baker said he became fascinated with an idea based on an old Japanese proverb that a piece of fabric gets a deeper and richer colour tone if you repeatedly dye it.

"To me it is a metaphor about life, experience and growing wise with age."

Baker is heading to the UK and Europe for a 16-date tour including a headline show in London which sold out within weeks of the announcement.

Ha the Unclear's second album Invisible Lines will be released on July 20.

The announcement this week is accompanied by the video for their new single Wallace Line, which follows the story of a disintegrating long-distance relationship.

The Dunedin/Auckland outfit will release a special edition split single with Being. and Soaked Oats to mark New Zealand Music Month. Corduroy Cape: A Persnickity Mixtape will feature three singles from each group released over May. The full mixtape will be released on May 15.

All three bands will play dates in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin later this month.

The Slacks' second single Yeah Nah is out this week, continuing the "Kiwitanga" theme from their Big Aroha song and video.

The Taranaki band says the single takes a handful of well used New Zealand phrases and words in English and Te Reo to "pull the proverbial" out of the way we communicate.

They'll play gigs in Taranaki and Auckland as part of New Zealand Music Month.