New Music 21/11

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

Ben Bonetti — Under These Skies

Ben Bonetti's newest single Under These Skies is a vibrant reggae-rock single built on jangly guitars, warm organ tones, and an instantly memorable riff. Written more than three years ago, it was the first song Ben ever composed and performed live. Its lyrics centre on gratitude — a reflection on the places that shaped him, the people who influenced him, and the lessons carried forward.

The release follows a busy period for Ben, including recording and launching an EP as lead vocalist for Pineja. With its breezy energy and sun-drenched warmth, Under These Skies feels tailor-made for summer road trips, sunset drives, and easy moments with friends; a timeless slice of feel-good Aotearoa music.

Dillon Jo — Shiver

Shiver marks a bold new chapter for Wellington alt-indie outfit Dillon Jo, arriving 21 November as their first release with a full band lineup. Blending shoegaze-leaning guitars with dreamy pads and striking vocals, the track dives into the rush and uncertainty of growing into yourself. Vocalist Georgie Levien describes it as “a coming-of-age song of self-discovery… that mix of excitement and fear that comes with growing up while everything around you keeps shifting.”

Formed in 2024 by singer-songwriters Betty Smith and Georgie Levien after meeting on Take the Mic, Dillon Jo expanded this year with Kahu Sanson-Burnett on bass and Ruadh Munro on drums. That fuller sound is at the core of “Shiver,” giving the band space to explore bigger dynamics and deeper emotional textures. Drawing influence from Mercury, Slow Pulp, and Radiohead, Dillon Jo lean into a sound that balances vulnerability with power.

With soft, intimate vocals contrasted against expansive guitars, Dillon Jo continue carving their place in Aotearoa’s indie scene. “Shiver” captures their shared commitment to honest storytelling and musical fearlessness — a confident step forward from a band quickly finding its voice.

Lavvender — Candid

Lavvender is a Tāmaki Makaurau–based singer-songwriter whose thoughtful, melodic sound blends indie/folk-pop sweetness with an alt-rock edge. Known for her strong, emotive vocals and striking lyrical detail, she’s been writing and performing since she was young, steadily shaping a style that feels both intimate and expansive. Following the emotional depth of her recent single Tend to Your Wounds, Lavvender returns with Candid, a brighter, more free-spirited chapter that pairs self-reflection with a breezy, summery feel. Produced by Ben Woolford, the track shimmers with a jaunty 6/8 groove and jangling guitars, drawing on the timeless textures of The Sundays and Fleetwood Mac.

Beneath its warm, easy swing, Candid ”explores the messy space between honesty and uncertainty — the difficulty of staying true to yourself without hurting someone you care about. “Candid is about being honest, even when it hurts,” she says. “It’s that moment where you’re trying to figure yourself out, but you don’t want to hurt someone in the process. It’s messy, but real.” With this release, Lavvender continues to carve out her place as one of the most emotionally resonant voices in the local indie scene. Candid marks a new step in her evolution: a tender, truthful reflection on growth, guilt, and finding the courage to say what needs to be said.

Dropper — Be a Little Kinder (ALBUM)

Pōneke-based alt-rock outfit Dropper will release their debut album Be A Little Kinder on 21 November via Particle Recordings. The record dives into cycles of frustration, hopelessness, and overthinking, with frontman Jude Savage describing it as “angry and frustrated, masked behind happier melodies.” Its sound sits somewhere between polished pop hooks and the restless distortion of early 2000s American alternative. The band’s name pays tribute to Dropper, the final project by Aotearoa four-piece Bleeding Star, whose guitarist Otis Hill passed away in 2024 — a loss that shaped the emotional core of this new chapter.

Formed the following summer, Dropper grew from the songwriting partnership of Savage and River Hann-Ellen (Debt Club), later solidifying with Carlos Bellamy (guitar), Walter Martin (drums), and Toby Gracewood-Easther (bass). Savage’s influences — Bob Mould, Greg Dulli — fuse with Hann-Ellen’s tight, intricate arrangements to create something raw, unfiltered, and urgent. The album’s opening track Anchor captures this perfectly, shifting constantly in structure to echo the feeling of pushing forward even when you’re stuck. Live, it’s become a fan favourite for its chaotic breakdowns and full-throttle energy.

Belladonna — Holding On

Wellington songwriter Belladonna returns with her stunning new single Holding On, a stripped-back, deeply human moment that marks a turning point on the road toward her debut album Arcus Way. Written in the aftermath of a house fire that destroyed her flat and everything in it, the song captures the quiet resilience that followed — a period where, supported by MusicHelps, she found herself drawn back to the acoustic guitar and the simplicity of writing alone. What emerged was a gentle, lo-fi ballad that holds both grief and clarity in the same breath. Producer Chris Armour wraps the song in lap steel, baritone guitar, and a warm “bedroom country” haze, giving Holding On the intimacy of a private confession whispered into a tape recorder.

The single also offers the clearest glimpse yet into the world of Arcus Way — a more grounded, heartfelt chapter for an artist known for her offbeat pop charm. Belladonna recalls the recording process with real affection: train rides through leafy suburbs, coffee-fuelled sessions, and the easy creative chemistry she found with Armour. That close-knit Wellington energy threads through the wider album too, with contributions from local favourites Dianne Kreig, Dayle Jellyman, and Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, and mixing/mastering by Bevan Smith. Holding On stands on its own as a warm, quietly devastating reminder of what it means to rebuild; not just a home, but a sense of self.

Mila Vandelle — Weathered

Auckland-based singer-songwriter Mila Vandelle returns with her second single Weathered, a warm yet heart-aching slice of atmospheric pop that cements her as one of Aotearoa’s most compelling emerging voices. Where her debut July Eleven introduced her diaristic writing and soft-spoken emotional clarity, Weathered goes deeper — capturing the slow fade of loving someone battling seasonal depression. With intimate vocals that feel almost confessional, Mila traces the quiet grief of holding onto a relationship that’s slipping through your hands, comparing it to flowers left too long without water. It’s tender, restrained, and quietly devastating.

Though still early in her career, Mila’s story carries the depth of someone who has lived with music her entire life. Raised between Kiwi and Dutch influences, she grew up soundtracking car rides with her dad’s CDs and writing songs in her diary long before she understood what songwriting was. That lifelong instinct — to process her world through melody — now sits at the heart of her sound: honest lyricism, warm textures, and the emotional glow of artists like Holly Humberstone and Olivia Dean. With global ambitions and a growing following, Weathered shows exactly why her music resonates so deeply. One intimate song at a time, Mila Vandelle is building something real and impossible to ignore.

PRINS — HEAVEN OR HELL

After storming the charts with her recent single COOL, PRINS returns with another high-voltage release — HEAVEN OR HELL. The driving pop track, woven with liquid drum-and-bass energy, also serves as the title track for her forthcoming EP due in 2026.

On HEAVEN OR HELL, PRINS leans into contrast, pairing unwavering strength with raw vulnerability. “I’ve always been drawn to contrast: light and dark, power and pain,” she says. “This song is honest, cinematic, and unapologetic — exactly how I approach my music and my career.” Written in Los Angeles, the track distils two turbulent years spent chasing her artistic vision abroad. “It captures the constant push and pull between euphoria and exhaustion, confidence and doubt, faith and chaos. Even when you’re standing in the fire, it shapes who you’re becoming.”

The song underwent several transformations before finding its final form. “It ended up being reproduced four times before it finally felt right,” PRINS explains. “The process mirrored what the song represents — evolution, surrender, and trusting timing.” As the centrepiece of her upcoming EP, HEAVEN OR HELL sets the tone for what fans can expect next: bold, emotionally charged electro-pop from one of Aotearoa’s most commanding voices. Following the flirtatious energy of October’s COOL, PRINS continues her ascendancy with a track that’s both cathartic and defiantly powerful.

COCO CHARLES — L.A Dust

COCO CHARLES returns with L.A Dust — her first release after stepping back from music to raise a family. After years of writing and singing in the background, the Pōneke-based alt-pop artist is stepping into her own spotlight, with ‘L.A Dust’ serving as the luminous lead single from her debut album due in 2026. For COCO, the track marks a personal reclamation. “No one really talks about how women are expected to press pause on their careers to become mothers — and how hard it can be to press play again,” she says.

The song captures the tension between ambition and domestic life, channelling the push-and-pull of chasing your dreams while juggling real-world responsibilities. With lines like “book a sitter, I’m a star”, COCO leans into humour and honesty, speaking directly to anyone who’s tried to wedge creativity between school runs and bedtime routines.

“At the end of the day, this is about showing my kids that it’s never too late to do what you love,” she says. ‘L.A Dust’ marks the sound of someone returning to themselves — bold, self-assured, and ready to take up space. COCO CHARLES is one to listen for, and one to watch.

ANTOINE AUDONNET — MINE TO MISS

Antoine Audonnet — a filmmaker and recording artist known for his cinematic, emotionally honest style — returns with MINE TO MISS, an intimate single that lays bare the messier corners of love. Blending delicate, atmospheric production with lyrics that feel almost confessional, the track captures the spiralling thoughts that surface when jealousy, fear, and devotion collide. It’s a portrait of modern love at its most vulnerable: raw, immediate, and unfiltered.

Antoine calls MINE TO MISS one of his most honest releases yet, written from a place he normally keeps hidden. The song unfolds with striking lines drawn straight from lived experience, exposing insecurity while doubling down on the depth of care at its core. It’s the kind of storytelling that defines Antoine’s work across both music and film — intimate, cinematic, and willing to say the quiet parts out loud.

Dead Cherry — Mother (EP)

Mother, the long-awaited debut EP from Wellington rock outfit Dead Cherry, captures a band stepping fully into their own voice. Across four tracks, the EP shifts between brooding, melodic moments and full-throttle rock that hits with intent. Frontwoman Jodie Gummer leads the charge, her lyrics weaving personal stories into something bold, relatable, and emotionally immediate.

Behind her is the powerhouse trio of Beau Redding (guitar), David “Chops” McIntosh (bass), and Andy Russell (drums) — musicians who have spent years sharpening their chemistry as one of the capital’s most in-demand covers bands. That shared history shows. Mother showcases arrangements that move effortlessly between heavy and delicate, calm and chaotic, polished and feral.

It’s a fierce, confident first statement from a band ready to make their mark — a fully realised introduction to Dead Cherry, one of Aotearoa’s rising rock heavyweights.

Harry Charles — ZERO ZERO

Harry Charles keeps the momentum rolling with Zero Zero, the second single from his forthcoming 2026 album and a clear step into a more energetic, deep house-leaning palette. Built for dancefloors and open-air moments alike, the track blends chant-like vocal hooks with warm, rolling rhythms — a sound crafted to capture the joy of sharing music with the people who matter most.

Written as part of a batch of songs designed specifically for live performance, Zero Zero pushes further into the uplifting, communal energy that marks Harry’s new era. It follows his 2025 album MOVEMENT, a deeply textured release that cemented him as a key voice in Aotearoa’s underground electronic scene. With this new project arriving in early 2026, Harry Charles is signalling a confident shift: music with ambition, pulse, and intent — made for sunrise, sunset, and every glowing moment in between.

bad for education — Close My Eyes

Independent surf-punk outfit bad for education roar back into the Tāmaki Makaurau scene with Close My Eyes, a sharp, riff-driven burst of rock ‘n’ roll that wrestles with love, grief, and the strange hope that lives between them. Written in 2020 while William Walker was living in Wairoa running an organic orange juice business, the song became a creative anchor during a period of deep personal loss as his father, Paul Walker, was passing away. “Writing helped me deal with grief,” William says. “I refined the song over five years.”

Co-produced by William and Chequered Patterns, and featuring Sinisha Milkovic (bass) and Corbin Khutze (drums), Close My Eyes marks the band’s first new release since 2023. It carries the swagger and sincerity of classic Aotearoa indie rock, brought to life visually by a music video from Ashley Pitman (Pitman Films) that nods to the myth of Sisyphus. The single’s artwork — photographed by Tak Soropa and designed by Lola Key — pays tribute to Tom Jones’ The Green Green Grass of Home, a favourite of William’s late father.

With fast tempos, big riffs, and a rotating live lineup, bad for education continue to carve out their own lane in Aotearoa’s rock landscape: raw, heartfelt, and unafraid to wear their influences proudly.

Fan Club — Text Me When You Land

Text Me When You Land is an explosive power-pop anthem that captures the sting of long-distance heartbreak. Channeling the punchy vocals of Paramore with the melodic sparkle of The Beths, the track hits that sweet spot between emotional and electrifying.

Funded through Fan Club’s 2025 BurgerFuel Battle of the Bands win, the single was co-produced by Tyler Burke and Caleb Young, bringing a polished, high-energy sound to the band’s most anthemic release yet.

The song tells the story of falling in love while travelling, only to be snapped back into reality when the holiday ends. “It’s about meeting someone while on holiday and falling in love — then having to be headed back to reality,” the band explains. The result is a track full of urgency, bittersweet nostalgia, and the kind of chorus built to be shouted back from a crowd.

The Black Seeds — Compassion

The Black Seeds return with Compassion, their first new music in two years — a heavyweight slice of conscious roots that immediately reasserts why they remain one of Aotearoa’s most defining reggae and dub acts. Built on a powerful, classic-dub rhythm section engineered by Dr Lee Prebble and mastered by Mike Gibson, the track gives co-founder Daniel Weetman space to deliver bold, straight-to-the-gut lyrics supported by a standout horn hook.

The bassline, crafted by Francis Harawira during the Toitū Te Tiriti / Treaty Principles Bill Hikoi, anchors the track with a sense of kotahitanga and urgency. Weetman says the song took shape quickly once the band were together in Wellington: inspiration hit, verses flowed, and the message found its footing. That message — unity in a time of division — sits at the song’s core. Weetman describes ‘Compassion’ as a reminder to turn toward humanity and love when fear and power try to tear communities apart.

Alongside the single comes a striking lyric video directed by Jeremy London, with visuals from Talia Chong-Hamlin and artwork by Barnaby Weir, adding even more weight to The Black Seeds’ call for connection. ‘Compassion’ signals a strong new chapter for the Wellington icons, arriving on the heels of last year’s first-ever vinyl release of ON THE SUN and fresh momentum following their acclaimed 2022 album LOVE & FIRE.

Tali — Life On The Line (Ft. Polaris)

Tali is back in full force with Life On The Line, an electrifying liquid drum and bass anthem crafted alongside Romanian-born, Toronto-based producer Polaris. Energetic, uplifting, and anchored by a massive soaring chorus, the track captures everything you’d want from a summer soundtrack — urgency, euphoria, and a sense of breaking free.

At its heart, Life On The Line is Tali at her most personal and powerful. She digs into the emotional weight of constantly being online, chasing validation, and feeling the pressure to perform your life for an audience. Her message — to pause, breathe, and reconnect with real-world relationships and self-worth — becomes both a confession and a call to action. Polaris’ sleek production only amplifies that clarity, pairing shimmering liquid textures with the unmistakable confidence of a veteran vocalist.

Released via Ranger Records, the new single offers an exciting glimpse into Tali’s forthcoming album EMPRESS ERA.