New Music 03/04

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JUNA — SHUT UP

Wellington four-piece JUNA are moving quickly from new project to one to keep tabs on. Formed in August 2025, the band brings together alt pop and indie rock influences, shaped by four musicians with backgrounds across a range of genres. Their debut Say So Little introduced a sound built on syncopated rhythms, textured guitars and vocals that feel both fresh and familiar, hinting at a group already confident in how they want to sit sonically.

Their second single SHUT UP leans into something more personal, capturing the tension of falling for a best friend and not being able to say it out loud, while unknowingly feeling it back. Written from a real-life experience by vocalist Hannah, the track adds an emotional layer to JUNA’s early catalogue, pairing their knack for catchy songwriting with a sense of vulnerability as they continue to find their voice.

Cruze Control — Poison Medicine

Dunedin-born four-piece Cruze Control continue to shape their laid-back, groove-driven sound, blending reggae and alternative influences into something built for both live energy and easy listening. Formed through late-night jams and a shared love of creating together, the band has steadily found its footing, with each member bringing a different musical background into a sound that leans warm, psychedelic, and tightly locked in.

Their new double single Poison Medicine is their most personal release to date, written during frontman Tommy’s chemotherapy treatment for blood cancer. Across the two tracks, the band explores the strange duality of something that can save your life while also feeling destructive, capturing themes of resilience, contrast, and transformation. It’s a release that carries real weight without losing the band’s sense of groove, offering a deeper look into where Cruze Control are heading as they continue to grow

The Sour — Your God & Mine

Tāmaki Makaurau four-piece The Sour have quickly carved out a space in Aotearoa’s alternative scene, bringing together a lineup of wāhine with deep roots across the country’s underground. With two previous singles already making noise, the band now build momentum towards their debut EP Daughters, due out in May 2026. Drawing on a shared love of grunge, punk, and all things loud, their sound leans into heavy riffs, gritty hooks, and a strong sense of identity grounded in friendship and whakapapa.

The first taste of the EP comes in Your God & Mine, a desert rock-leaning track that pairs driving instrumentation with layered, chant-like backing vocals. It taps into a familiar feeling of being stuck somewhere you do not want to be, giving the song a sharp, relatable edge while staying true to the band’s unapologetic energy. With Daughters on the horizon, The Sour are setting the tone for a debut that celebrates wāhine making loud music on their own terms.

Felix Bird — blue car + house (EP)

Te Whanganui-a-Tara artist Felix Bird continues to cement his place in Aotearoa’s alternative scene with the release of blue car + house. Known for blending bedroom indie with a more expansive alt-rock sound, his latest EP leans into jangly, self-produced textures while carrying a more considered and mature tone. The project has already found strong support across student radio, with tracks like tie the tie and the title track gaining traction on stations around the motu.

Across blue car + house, Felix Bird refines his songwriting, balancing clever, honest lyricism with a lush sonic approach that builds on the foundations of his earlier work. Following momentum from his debut album Haircut and a run of live performances, the EP signals a clear step forward, with new material already emerging in his live sets and pointing towards what could be another long-form release on the horizon.

Rā Charmian — Kia Puāwai

Tāmaki Makaurau duo Rā Charmian return with their first release of 2026 in Kia Puāwai, following a busy summer of live performances across events like the TSB Festival of Lights and Music In Parks. Made up of vocalist Rā Toia-Booth and producer Hayden Booth, the pair continue to shape a pop-R&B sound that centres connection and storytelling, building on the momentum of their 2024 album WAIATA WAIRUA.

Kia Puāwai carries a gentle, uplifting warmth, grounded in themes of reconnection with whakapapa and te reo Māori. Written during a period of personal rediscovery, the track reflects both feeling lost and finding a sense of growth, with its title speaking to blossoming and flourishing. Supported by a music video set across Te Tai Tokerau, the release marks a more intentional step forward for the duo as they continue to evolve their sound and identity.

WHO SHOT SCOTT — FAST CAR

Tāmaki Makaurau artist and producer WHO SHOT SCOTT keeps the momentum rolling in 2026 with another high-impact release, continuing a run of singles that build towards his debut album HAIRY, due June 5. Known for blending raw vulnerability with explosive, genre-blurring production, he has steadily carved out a reputation as one of Aotearoa’s most uncompromising voices, backed by international recognition, major live shows, and a growing global audience.

His latest single FAST CAR is an intense, high-octane track driven by distorted bass, explosive drums, and a vocal delivery that barely holds itself together. Beneath that energy sits a deeply personal core, unpacking teenage insecurity and the pressure to be seen, inspired by a time when status symbols felt like the answer to everything. Paired with a music video set on a school bus rather than the open road, FAST CAR captures that tension between perception and reality, offering another glimpse into the world of HAIRY as the full project approaches.