New Music 02/01

Got a new song coming out? Send me a message at ryanfromroots@gmail.com to get a feature!

Shedheads — Hand of Roses

Whakatū Nelson funk-rock trio Shedheads have spent the past three years building a reputation as one of the region’s most exciting young live acts. Formed by JP Moynihan, Shoei Ito, and Ryan Smith after meeting through music class at Nelson College, the band’s chemistry was immediate — shaped by a shared love of groove-heavy rock, improvisation, and pushing their sound into louder, edgier territory.

That spontaneity sits at the heart of Shedheads’ songwriting. Many of their tracks are born from live jams, with ideas taking shape in the room rather than on a screen. That approach is perfectly captured in Hand of Roses, the final release from their recording sessions with Jack Rollinson. Written in under 30 minutes during a Red Shed jam ten months ago, the song has been patiently waiting for its moment. Leaning into the band’s harder-rocking side, Hand of Roses is an explosive, in-your-face cut driven by effect-laden bass, thunderous and technically sharp drums, and striking guitar solos — easily one of their heaviest releases to date.

Already the band have performed across the region alongside major acts including Drax Project, Tiki Taane, and The Blackseeds, while continuing to refine their live show through constant gigging and improvisation. With a ten-track debut album BIG MILK already out in the world and a second album taking shape, Shedheads are showing no signs of slowing down — even as all three members prepare to head north to Wellington for university. Hand of Roses closes out this chapter with urgency and volume, capturing a band still hungry, still experimenting, and very much on the rise.

Bronnys_music — You're the Half I Never Show

bronnys_music introduces themselves with debut single You’re The Half I Never Show, a hazy indie/dream pop track that leans into emotion, atmosphere, and quiet introspection. Self-produced, recorded, and mixed entirely by the artist, the song reflects on emotional distance and the parts of yourself that remain hidden even in close relationships, capturing that familiar feeling of yearning you can’t quite shake. Built around jangly guitars, soft drums, and dreamy synths, it channels a mid-2010s indie-pop warmth — the kind of track that feels like sitting on a beanbag on a summer afternoon, listening to music that should make you cry but somehow lets you breathe instead.

The release marks the first proper push for bronnys_music, following earlier momentum under the slowcore project Bronny, which gained a recognised following within Wellington’s high school and slowcore scenes. Already receiving local radio support from The Most FM in Taranaki and building international listeners through online promotion, You’re The Half I Never Show is a gentle but confident first step — grounded in Aotearoa’s indie landscape and setting the tone for what’s to come.

ORPHEU5 — Hope You're Doing Better (than me)

ORPHEU5 is a Dunedin-based EDM/Rock project led by Dragon Winikoff, carving out a space where emotional vulnerability meets high-impact production. Active in the local scene for the past two years, ORPHEU5 sits comfortably between nostalgia and catharsis, pulling from old-school 2010s EDM while pushing into heavier, modern territory.

New single Hope You’re Doing Better (than me) is a six-and-a-half-minute slow burn that doesn’t rush its payoff. Built on euphoric electronic textures, the track eventually gives way to a crushing modern metal breakdown — a left turn that feels deliberate rather than gimmicky. It’s a song that reads like a message you never quite send, equal parts reflection and release, and marks a clear step forward in both production quality and artistic intent.

For listeners drawn to genre-blurring releases that wear their heart on their sleeve, this one’s worth sitting with from start to finish.