Vince Harder.
Deluxe Project have marked this week's Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with the release of Rona, based on the Māori legend of Rona and the moon.
The Sydney-based reggae and R&B duo - Vince Harder and Anthony "Ratstar" McCarthy (Ngāti Porou) - released their self-titled debut EP last month.
The EP tells the story of the beginning, middle and end of a relationship, with Rona about a man contemplating the loss of his wife. The original version of the song features a bridge in Māori, while a second version is sung completely in te reo.
What's past is prologue - sometimes the best new music is best because it harks back to our old favourite sounds. The new album from Chicago's Whitney even has a track called Golden Days.
The band, formed around guitarist Max Kakacek (ex-Smith Westerns) and singing drummer Julien Ehrlich (ex-Unknown Mortal Orchestra), have released Light Upon The Lake, a beautiful collection of tracks that look back through an indie lens to the golden age of rock.
Dreamlike videos accompany dreamlike, downbeat songs, with contrasting lashings of happy, warm brass blowing through the tracks a highlight.
Kiwi teens SACHI have released new EP Lunch with Bianca.
Last Friday's launch saw fans invited to hunt down lunchboxes placed on interactive posters around Auckland.
The EP is available on iTunes, or streamed via Spotify or Apple Music, and interestingly, with limited availability as a USB wristband EP via the SACHI Facebook Store.
The 18-year-olds' music has been lauded by Diplo, Zane Lowe, Major Lazer, Vince Staples and more.
Revisit a classic
Robbie Robertson, most famous for The Band, released his self-titled solo debut album in 1987.
Produced by Robertson and Daniel Lanois, the album has a cinematic, wild west feel, especially on its best track Showdown at Big Sky.
Bono and Peter Gabriel make guest appearances, but it's the backing vocals of Sam Llanas of the BoDeans on Big Sky and Somewhere Down the Crazy River that really stand out.
SoundBites Extra:
Lawrence Arabia today releases Absolute Truth.
He wrote this week: "It's an album about the realities of romance, the temptations of designer furniture, alcohol abuse, the lifestyles of goth teens and the effects of climate change on our love-lives."
The digital version is available via his Bandcamp, and you can pre-order CD and LP versions.
Arabia heads out on tour with his band from next Wednesday - tickets from Under The Radar.
NZ Tour Dates
Wed 13 July - Oamaru - Grainstore Gallery w/ Nadia Reid
Thurs 14 July - Queenstown - Sherwood w/ Nadia Reid
Fri 15 July - Dunedin - Maori Hill Coronation Hall w/ Kane Strang
Sat 16 July - Christchurch - Blue Smoke w/ Ryan Fisherma
Fri 22 July - Napier - Cabana w/ SJD (solo)
Sat 23 July - Wellington - San Fran w/ SJD (solo)
Fri 29 July - Auckland - Crystal Palace w/ SJD (solo) and The Black Quartet
The Naked and Famous will release a new album in October.
Simple Forms is the follow-up to 2013's In Rolling Waves.
The lyric video for first single Higher premiered today on Consequence of Sound.