New Music 12/12

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Ani Saafa — Alkaline

Ani Saafa charge into their next era with Alkaline, a gritty, hard-hitting single that sets the pace for their upcoming debut album. Written, produced, mixed, and mastered entirely by the band, the track leans into their signature heavy riffs and pounding rhythms while weaving in new experimental production choices that stretch well beyond the usual indie-rock palette. The result is raw, jagged, and unmistakably them; a sound shaped not just by creative instinct but by the DIY limitations of their gear.

Alkaline feels like a natural evolution for Ani Saafa, sharpening the edges of what they’ve already built while signalling a willingness to push themselves further. It’s heavier, more adventurous, and purposefully unpolished, capturing the band at a moment of real momentum. With their debut project due in early 2026, this single hints at a bold and uncompromising chapter ahead.

Fables — Enough

After reintroducing herself with Sundown, Jess Bailey returns under her Fables moniker with Enough, the second single from her forthcoming debut album Change is a Slow-Moving Beast. Sitting at the crossroads of intimate folk and slow-burning alt-country, the track leans into vulnerability with a clarity Bailey admits she didn’t set out to find. Built from the simplest version of the song — just voice and guitar — its arrangement holds space rather than filling it, letting her reflections on heartbreak, self-worth, and emotional exhaustion sit unadorned in the centre. Contributors include bassist Cass Basil, multi-instrumentalist Dave Khan, drummer Arahi, and mixer Dan Luscombe, with production handled by Bailey, Khan and Reb Fountain.

The single arrives alongside a handcrafted visualiser filmed in a lush backyard setting and created by Bailey with Arahi, Shannon McIntyre and Pixel Freeman. Drawing on cloud backdrops, pastel tones, shadows, sparklers, and Number 8 Wire sensibilities, it expands the dreamlike visual world Fables began establishing with Sundown. Instead of telling a story, the clip leans into atmosphere — a fragile, slightly surreal diorama that mirrors the emotional terrain of the song itself.

may-c — air

may-c returns with air, a reflective, slow-burning release shaped by one of the toughest chapters of her life. Written at a time marked by severe anxiety and frequent panic attacks, the track finds its core in a single grounding phrase offered by her therapist: “It’s only fresh air.” From that moment came the song’s emotional architecture, a tight, held-breath tension that slowly unfurls into release. The movement of air mirrors the internal tide of panic, capturing the uneasy rise and the gentle letting go that follows.

For may-c, who hails from Ōtautahi Christchurch, air is both a personal exhale and a message of solidarity. It’s a hand on the shoulder for anyone who’s ever felt their chest close in, a reminder that even the sharpest moments eventually soften. Panic doesn’t last forever — every inhale finds its way back out again.

Dani Josie — Forever

Dani Josie returns with FOREVER, an emotionally charged pop-rock track built on big guitars, layered harmonies and a surge of heart-first feeling. Co-written and produced with Dan Martin, FOREVER the rush of longing — that mid-drive moment when someone sits impossibly bright in your mind, whether they’re an old flame, an unfinished chapter, or a hope you’re not quite ready to let go of. Its vulnerable verses spill into a soaring, shout-along chorus that feels tailor-made for warm nights, open windows, and the kind of memories you only realise are important once they’ve passed.

The release follows a breakout run of milestones for Dani, including her first national headline tour and upcoming appearances at Rhythm & Vines and The Powerstation. With a growing reputation as an electrifying live performer and a fresh voice in Aotearoa’s pop landscape, she delivers FOREVER as both a personal confession and a universal anthem — a reminder of the people we carry, even when we know they’re out of reach.

Fan Club — When You Land (EP)

After three years of cutting their teeth on Aotearoa stages, Fan Club are signing off with When You Land, a five-track EP made possible by their 2025 BurgerFuel Battle of the Bands win. Pulling together their most-loved unreleased songs, the EP feels like a deliberate, heartfelt closing chapter — a band choosing their own ending. The focus track, Love Me Loudly, starts in a soft hush before erupting into a full-tilt rock anthem, driven by Emma’s glowing vocal and the group’s instinct for big, emotional crescendo. Elsewhere, the EP steps through the band’s full palette: the self-destructive spark of Popcorn Chest, the knotty back-and-forth of Push/Pull, the late-night rush of Night Owl (produced and engineered by Caleb Young), and the previously released single Text Me When You Land. It’s bright, raw, crafted, and deeply felt — a parting gift for the people who have been with them since the beginning.

Winners of the 2025 BurgerFuel Battle of the Bands, the 2023 Auckland Central Smokefree Rockquest and finalists in Play It Strange 2022, Fan Club quickly became one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most exciting young indie-pop-rock outfits. Their debut EP Towards the Sun landed them spots on major playlists like Spotify’s Local Noise, while Sedate secured a sync placement on Shortland Street. Known for sharp songwriting and high-energy live shows, they’ve shared stages with names like Park Road, Ekko Park, Georgia Lines and Wet Denim, and even opened for Ball Park Music at their exclusive 2025 Auckland show. When You Land stands as a final salute — a warm, emotional farewell from a band who always wore their heart onstage.

Frankie Venter — paris

Frankie Venter returns with paris, a bold and irresistibly hooky pop release that channels the sting of loving someone who simply couldn’t love you back. Bright, sharp, and full of her trademark spark, the track digs into the ache of giving your all to someone weighed down by their own distractions and unresolved baggage — all delivered with the vibrant, youthful confidence that’s made her one of Aotearoa’s most exciting rising artists.

Co-written and produced with long-time collaborator Rory Noble, paris pairs glossy, infectious pop production with the kind of emotionally frank storytelling that has become Frankie’s hallmark. It’s a raw, relatable snapshot of a relationship where loyalty and hope weren’t enough, wrapped in a chorus built to stay in your head long after the first listen. With a huge summer of festivals ahead and momentum continuing to climb, Frankie Venter’s new era is already shaping up to be her most powerful yet.