Time Is Laughing – Jessy & The Volunteers

Self proclaimed “Taranaki beach bum” Jessy Wadeson built her band brick by brick in her basement. The result is the effortlessly cool, contagiously funky experience of a band Jessy & The Volunteers. The groups takes elements of RnB, blues and soul, weaving them together to make a distinct sound. 2019 brought with it the release of debut music video “Phone Face”, and performances at summer festivals alongside “Goodshirt”, “Sola Rosa” and “Katchafire”. Jessy & The Volunteers’ latest masterpiece is the release of Time is Laughing.

I was lucky enough to catch Jessy & The Volunteers live last year, and it was one of the most captivating performances I’ve seen in a while. Their on stage energy is mesmerising, and their musicality is flawless. Wadeson is a phenomenal front woman, keeping the audience engaged and moving like a natural. The way the group manages to translate this energy from stage is impressive.

Time is Laughing rolls in with a funky guitar line and epic synths. Wadeson’s voice is soulful and characterful. She utilises backing vocals to build a nostalgic soundscape. Her performance is lively. I was particularly impressed by the kit, which refuses to stay still, keeping the groove alive from 00:00 to 4:23. The use of funky synths is super fun, too – the piece breaks for a heartbeat to allow a quick solo before opening back up into an epic chorus.

I love the way Jessy & The Volunteers always develop their songs. They don’t sit in a regular form, they transform and develop, allowing the group to both explore, and create a distinct sound for themselves. If you haven’t discovered this Aotearoa gem, I’d thoroughly suggest following them on Instagram and Facebook.

Familiar – Calon

Uncategorized

Based in London, Calon is an emerging singer-songwriter from Swansea. His alias means “heart” in Welsh; a fitting translation for an artist who focuses on self development, existentialism and catharsis. Influenced by Jeff Buckley and Corinne Bailey Rae, Calon’s latest track “Familiar” is laidback and pensive.

“Familiar” begins with a shuffling rhythm section and husky vocals. Calon speaks in metaphors, playing around with creative use of rhyme. I loved the way the first verse stumbles straight into the first chorus, like a stream of consciousness.

The track lulls you into a place of peace through its repeating rhythm section and Calon’s vocal performance. He’s got a calming writing style, and a lovely voice with a bit of an edge to it. I look forward to seeing where Calon goes next with his music; he shows great promise as a songwriter and performer. You can keep up with his journey on instagram and facebook.

Wanderer – Molly Devine

Ambient, Easy Listening

After years of working collaboratively with New Zealand songwriters and musicians, the isolation of 2020 has inspired something completely different from Molly Devine. It’s been a year of polar opposites for the artist. One moment she was touring the country with her new single Call Me Up, the next she was home alone crowded by her thoughts along with the rest of Aotearoa. Fortunately for Molly she runs a music school out of her home, so she spent her hibernation in a mini recording studio.

Wanderer is about the “magnetism (Molly) feels towards simplicity and easefulness”. The track is a first for Molly, as she wrote and produced it solo. Wanderer comes with a beautiful music video that paints pictures to compliment the soundscape.

Wanderer begins with a sparkling right hand piano line, and twinkling city lights to match. The introduction is based around a montage of busy modern living; a time-lapse of traffic, flight times at the airport, a crowd at a zebra crossing. As Molly’s soothing voice describes a “familiar silhouette leaning against the door frame”, the imagery settles into a warm indoor scene. There’s poetry in Molly’s lyricism. She “loves you like the ocean loves the moon”, drawing imagery from nature to parallel human emotions.

I particularly enjoyed the appearance of classical guitar; an intricate line written by Jayendra Birchall. The dynamic blend of Molly Devine’s songwriting and Birchall’s mystical performance results in an ethereal piece of writing; reminiscent of some of Sufjan Steven’s work. Wanderer is a beautiful piece of writing. I look forward to keeping up with Molly’s journey on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo: Nik Brinkman

Going for Broke – Good Habits

Folk, Uncategorized

Alt-folk duo Good Habits completed a 40 show tour of Aotearoa moments before the nationwide lock down. With the help of the “warmth and support of new friends”, the duo made the most of their surprise hibernation in Paekakariki, taking the opportunity to introduce the enchanting Going for Broke album to the world. Comprising of singer-cellist Bonnie Schwarz and accordionist Pete Shaw, Good Habits are an innovative and electric breath of fresh air for this blog writer losing her mind in lock-down.

Going for Broke starts with the mesmerising See How The Evening Goes. Appearing to be set in another century, the lyrics step over winding cello and string counter melodies. The accordion adds depth to the sound, and Schwarz’ voice makes the piece feel like fantasy. The melody is tasetfully simple, allowing the intertwining instrumental section space to shine. It’s simultaneously chaotic and peaceful – a combination for which the pair have a genuine gift.

Immediately demonstrating their innate ability to create diverse music, the second track Hitch is a metre-jumping circus tent track. It features the sickest accordion solo out. As “nomadic musicians”, much of Good Habits music is inspired by travel and adventures. Hitch feels like a lightning paced road-trip to the busker’s festival. Providing a moment of serenity is the third track on the album Forget It. Here, the cello almost takes on the role of a harp, lulling the listener into a lullaby mindset.

This serenity doesn’t last for long, as What Else Would We Do demands that you listen. With melodic writing reminiscent of Regina Spektor and a soprano to match, the track is just f u n . I’ve never heard an accordion played like that. The half time moments in the percussion keep What Else Would We Do moving for the full duration. Another favourite is Under My Nose, which launches relentlessly into a dreamy, shimmering accordion and hyperventilating snare sound.

The Going for Broke EP utilises cello to its full potential in a way I haven’t heard for a while. Schwarz writes ribbon-ing lines that genuinely shine in their own right. The haunting You’re Not Alone is a sincere piece of writing with the first verse settled on top of exclusively pizzicato. Going for Broke is wrapped up neatly by the groovy Racing The Hour Hand. The EP ends on a hopeful note.

Wow. If you didn’t get the vibe, I was sort of blown away by this EP. Going for Broke feels genuinely fresh and optimistic – each of the nine tracks brings something special to the collection. Keep up with the masterminds behind Good Habits on Instagram and Facebook.

I Don’t Wanna Be In Love – Mikaela Cougar

INDIE, Indie Rock

Following the release of her singles “See Straight” and “Lucky Star, Mikaela Cougar is back with another banger. “I Don’t Wanna Be In Love” channels nostalgic 90s girl band vibes combined with that laid back bucket hat aesthetic we know and love.

In this track Mikaela reflects on passing pages of life as she walks into a new chapter. She found the track “basically wrote itself… like a stream of consciousness.” The artist’s choice of conversational lyrics brings an element of “realness” to the song; like we’re sharing a beer as she externalises her thoughts. The hook line “I don’t wanna be in love because it’s way too hard” is charmingly matter of fact. There’s no need to dress the sentiment up in poetry and metaphors; it stands on its own with intrigue and vulnerability.

I loved the pauses in the first chorus, as Mikaela chose to match the rhythms of the instrument with her rambling lyrics. Moments of silence can be what makes a song, and she utilised these to their full potential. The psychedelic breakdown and Gwen Stefani vocals in the bridge lifted the song to that “effortlessly cool” sound that Mikaela is famous for.

The blending of bitter lyrics with an optimistic soundscape in the chorus were effective in capturing the hindsight that comes with stepping out of a situation. Mikaela has moved on; the negativity of this failed relationship can’t touch her now. Overall, “I Don’t Wanna Be In Love” is another killer track from what is quickly becoming one of my favourite emerging artists. I can’t wait for the 2021 release of the full EP.

Disappear – Lorenzo Hazelwood

Acoustic, Rock, Singer Songwriter

It’s easy to disappear into the beautiful soundscape that Lorenzo creates in his acoustic lead follow up to his Single Pharos. The track is slow and lumbering with rich baritone vocals reminiscient of 90s grunge (but the vocalists who could sing more vowels than urrrr). The soundscape is dark and smokey which is a diversion from Lorenzo’s usual performance with his band Close to the Bone.
Singer Lorenzo was inspired to tackle his solo project with lockdown and managed to self record the three songs released under Lorenzo Hazelwood in his home studio. These were picked up and worked on with Toby Lloyd from Tiny Triumph Recordings and Mastered by Luke Finlay from Primal Mastering.
Lorenzo plans to release more music during the year so make sure to follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify to catch more broody dirges! Hopefully another lockdown isn’t required to draw out more creativity.

Boomers in Disguise – Hazza Making Noise

Uncategorized

Harry Platt is a “disillusioned architect and slightly average singer-songwriter / producer” based in Tamaki Makaurau. Platt releases “electro plunge” music under the “irreverent pseudonym” Hazza Making Noise. Hazza’s sound is distinct, often shining a light on the hypocrisy and self righteousness of humanity. Following his collab with The Countdown Self Checkout Lady (Do You Wish To Print A Receipt?) Hazza has returned with Boomers in Disguise.

Boomers in Disguise is the first track off Hazza’s upcoming EP Vengeful Millennial, and it is every ounce as satirical and punchy as the title suggests. It’s a raucous anti-establishment anthem, driven by catchy riffs, 80s synths and sardonic lyricism. Boomers in Disguise is relentless, sprinting off the starting block with a hectic tempo and shouted chorus vocals.

Hazza challenges the hypocritical tendencies of millenials. Boomers in Disguise critiques the tribalist division between the two generations the media would have us believe are at war. The hook line “blame the baby boomers, blame the government” points towards the inclination our generation has towards self righteousness, when it is very easy to critique a system from afar.

Hazza’s production is famously creative. He experiments with synth timbres and unusual samples, bending genres and seeking new sounds. The strobe-like movement of the chorus vocals between left and right is suitably overwhelming as the piece plunges into chaos. Hazza’s songs are never just songs; they’re a sonic experience. Ultimately a talented instrumentalist and lyricist, Hazza’s writing is both impressive and innovative.

Hazza Making Noise hits the stage with his band of open mic brothers The Ellice Road Boys on October 16th as Casette Nine to celebrate the release of Boomers in Disguise. His power house Dave Grohl vocals and enthralling on stage persona guarantee a high energy and entertaining night. Get in there!

Big Bam Boom – The RVMES

INDIE, Indie Rock, Uncategorized

Dynamic and bold, The RVMES are a genre-defying “stir-fry” band of brothers from the big smoke. The four piece waste no time, and in their short two years as a collective they have “caused mayhem” on a 10 day North Island tour, and released a self titled 9 track EP. The RVMES show no sign of stopping with banger after banger under construction and a brand-spanking-new single Big Bam Boom out September 12.

RVMES’ latest track starts with as much of a bang as you’d expect from a track so bold as to go by Big Bam Boom. The lads launch into a scurrying rhythm section and gang vocals to sing the title line, before a stupidly catchy falsetto “ooh”. The vocals lie somewhere between indie-rock and acoustic rap as lead singer Edwin Judd riffs about people watching.

The arrangement is so fun, and so creative. It’s impossible to send praise in one direction in particular, because the band refuses to sit still for a micro second. The rhythm section diversifies with every bar, finding epic moments where drums, bass and guitar can lock together. While the verses themselves are riddled with cool lyrical and instrumental moments, nothing beats the soaring Big Bam Boom chorus. If that’s not enough for ya the band launches into a killer instrumental section at the end enough to have your fitbit asking if you’re okay.

The energy is r e l e n t l e s s l y e l e c t r i c . I’ve never had the pleasure of witnessing Big Bam Boom live, but I can feel the floor rattling with the mosh pit through my headphones. You can hear how much fun The RVMES had recording the beast, and it makes it a riot to listen to it. Keep an eye out for their live gigs on Facebook and Instagram – I might see ya there.

Knock Things Over – Jaqualyn Taimana Williams

rock, Rock

Kindergarten teacher by day and certified badass by night, Jaqualyn Taimana Williams released Knock Things Over today. Williams is passionate about promoting Te Reo Maori in Aotearoa, and has dedicated much of her time to creating valuable resources for parents and teachers to help the language thrive. Knock Things Over tackles a different cause, but is just as rebellious in nature. Described as “defiant rock”, Knock Things Over is an anthem riddled with conflicting advice for Williams’ younger self.

The track begins with five seconds of hurried advice and single guitar strums before dropping into full noise. Enter drums, distorted guitar and bass. The chorus introduces a more mellow vocal line with tight harmony before launching back into more suggestions. The production is so fun on Knock Things Over– I love the garage band punk feel; I can almost see the song being performed as I listen. Of course it wouldn’t be rock without a killer guitar solo, and the track delivers.

The lyrics advise her to “stay still, be quiet, shout out and start a riot”. The contradicting lyrics and hectic feel of the song capture exactly what it is to give advice. Who could possibly say what the right way to live life is, and yet I think we all fantasise about what we’d say to our younger selves if we had the chance. I love the punch of the hook line “knock things over”. It’s not clear exactly what’s meant by the lyric, but I think that’s what draws me to it. For me it’s about making your mark on the world through change, even if to some people the change might feel destructive.

Follow Jaqualyn Taimana Williams on Facebook and Instagram for more world changing music.

Blue – Carawei

synth

Carawei is a mysterious emerging artist based in New Zealand. The internet is almost devoid of information about her, and yet her instagram boasts 1300 followers; a feat independent kiwi artists will recognise as impressive in a country with such small population. Her enigmatic persona is intriguing.

There’s something really eerie about Carawei’s new single Blue. The breathy falsetto combined with the foreboding bass is hair raising, as she asks us whatcha gonna do? The song begins with a winding synth organ that reminds me of an aeroplane taking off.

Carawei takes her time with the ASMR delivery of the goading lyrics. She seems to have all the power in the narrative, and is daring somebody to meet her there. I really enjoyed the creative production on the track – the ringing synths and smooth bass build an immersive soundscape.

I don’t know about you, but I’m intrigued to see what happens next with the mystic Carawei.