New Music 17/04
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Hanne Jøstensen — The Lighthouse (EP)
Wellington-based, Norwegian-born artist Hanne Jøstensen returns with her sophomore EP The Lighthouse, a project patiently shaped over five years and grounded in both her Nordic roots and life in Aotearoa. Recorded and mixed in Te Whanganui-a-Tara with longtime collaborators, the release brings together a wide cast of musicians to create something intimate and immersive, with Hanne’s songwriting sitting at the centre of it all.
The Lighthouse moves with a quiet, transportive energy, weaving together stories, places, and emotions across continents. From its title track inspired by a remote Norwegian lighthouse through to Wildflower, the EP balances personal reflection with broader storytelling, allowing space for each moment to unfold. With its April 17 release, the project captures a fully realised body of work that leans into atmosphere, connection, and a sense of journey.
Welcomer — Magazine Clippings
Pōneke-based project Welcomer return with Magazine Clippings, a warm, detail-rich single that offers a first glimpse into their upcoming debut album Calendars. Led by songwriter Miles Sutton and supported by a shifting lineup of collaborators, the project continues to evolve, leaning further into layered arrangements and lyric-focused songwriting while maintaining the raw vulnerability that has defined earlier releases.
Magazine Clippings sits in that in-between space of holding things together as they begin to fall apart, pairing Rhodes, strings, and organ with steady drums to create a soft but grounded backdrop. Lyrically, the track explores friendships under strain, with a balance of heaviness and understated humour, while a guest verse from Lontalius adds a second perspective that lifts the song into something more hopeful. As the first taste of Calendars, it sets the tone for a record centred on change, connection, and the uncertainty that comes with both.
Fables — Change Is a Slow Moving Beast (ALBUM)
Tāmaki Makaurau artist Fables welcomes in her debut album Change Is a Slow Moving Beast, building on the momentum of earlier singles like Sundown, Enough, and Eyes Closed, which have found strong support across Aotearoa’s alternative radio and playlists. The project marks a significant step forward from her 2018 EP Portraits, expanding her sound into something more immersive and fully realised.
Change Is a Slow Moving Beast unfolds as a slow, introspective journey, tracing moments of vulnerability, indecision, and personal growth across twelve tracks. From its opening moments, the album leans into atmosphere and reflection, capturing the process of change as something gradual and ongoing. Out now on vinyl ahead of a wider digital release, it presents a cohesive and deeply personal body of work from Fables.
Jono D — Fluffy
Jono D brings a lightness of touch to his new single Fluffy, a track that traces back to the early days of the 2020 lockdown when connection felt distant and uncertain. Written during a time of isolation, the song grew out of small moments shared between friends, capturing a side of creativity shaped by humour and the need to stay close in simple ways.
Fluffy leans into that spirit, inspired by a half-joking request to write a song about Scottish Highland cows, and the unexpected comfort that followed. Beneath its playful concept sits something more genuine, a reflection on friendship and the ways people find connection when it matters most, turning a strange moment in time into something warm and quietly uplifting.
Tahla Ward — Dear Michael
Southland artist Tahla Ward steps into her solo career with the release of her debut single Dear Michael, marking a major milestone after years performing across Aotearoa and Australia. A member of award-winning trio The Dollys and a recent graduate of the Tamworth Country Music Academy, she arrives with a strong foundation in country songwriting and a growing reputation as one of the scene’s emerging voices.
Dear Michael is a heartfelt break-up ballad rooted in personal experience, unpacking the complexity of love, heartbreak, and reflection through warm country tones and story-driven lyricism. Written during her time at the academy, the track leans into emotional honesty and relatability, offering a glimpse of an artist just beginning to carve out her own path.
Play For Keeps — Presumptuous
Ōtautahi five-piece Play For Keeps continue their strong start to 2026 with the release of Presumptuous, building on the momentum of their debut single Handsome Boy and a run of high-energy live shows. Formed out of a shared love for indie pop and rock, the band have quickly carved out a space with their catchy songwriting and feel-good approach, as they work towards their debut EP later this year.
Presumptuous leans fully into that sound, pairing crunchy guitars, punchy drums, and a driving bassline with a simple, relatable message about putting yourself out there. Framed as a light-hearted love song, the track captures the excitement and nerves of asking someone out, wrapped up in an infectious, hook-driven package. As another step towards their debut EP, Presumptuous cements Play For Keeps as a band on the rise.
Vera Ellen — thaw
Aotearoa artist Vera Ellen returns with thaw, the latest single from her upcoming album Heaven Knows What Time, due May 1 via Flying Nun Records. Following the earlier releases of Gayfever and When It’s Over, the track continues a new chapter shaped by a shift away from the heavier introspection of her previous work, leaning instead into instinct, energy, and a more immediate creative approach.
Thaw captures that change in motion, built around a spontaneous writing moment that led to a riff-driven, emotionally direct track exploring infatuation with a sense of confidence. Featuring vocals from collaborator Ben Lemi and paired with a surreal, layered video, the single adds another dimension to the world of Heaven Knows What Time, offering a glimpse into a project that embraces both chaos and clarity in equal measure.
doggabarka — SPARROW PANE HEAVEN (ALBUM)
Lewis Parke — SHIVER
Lewis Parke continues to build momentum locally with the release of SHIVER, arriving alongside a striking new music video that leans into something more abstract and offbeat. Following a sold-out headline show and a steady run of self-organised live events, the indie songwriter has been carving out a space with his emotive, performance-driven approach.
SHIVER is a slow-burning indie-pop track that builds from intimate vocals and guitar textures into a more expansive, release-driven chorus, centred around themes of connection and longing. The accompanying video adds another layer, playing with a sense of mystery and unease while reflecting the emotional core of the song. As both a musical and visual release, SHIVER marks a confident next step for Lewis Parke as he continues to develop his sound and live presence.
Beth Elsden — Peace Comes With It
Beth Elsden continues to carve out her place as one of Aotearoa’s most compelling emerging voices, building on the foundations laid by her debut Losing You Slow. With a background shaped by musical theatre and choral music, her songwriting leans into rich harmonies and emotional storytelling, gradually introducing a sound that feels both intimate and expansive. That trajectory continues with Peace Comes With It, a track that reflects not just her growth as a writer, but her willingness to stretch beyond the simplicity of her earlier work.
Originally written as a stripped-back guitar piece and later developed alongside longtime collaborator Abby Wolfe, Peace Comes With It evolves into something far more layered and cinematic. Marching snares and distorted guitars sit alongside dreamy strings and muted piano, creating a push and pull between tension and tenderness that mirrors its core theme. At its heart, the song explores finding beauty within chaos, offering a bittersweet sense of hope for anyone feeling overwhelmed. It also signals what is to come from her debut project The Waiting Room EP, a body of work years in the making that captures the feeling of being in-between, still growing, and slowly finding clarity.
