BEAUTIFUL THINGS SELECTIONS: K M T P, BLUNT DOG, SILVA SPIRAL, 95BFM, DIRTY PROJECTORS AND MORE!

K M T P — PHOTO BY FRANCES CARTER / LOGO BY ZOE HANNAY / WORDS BY CARLA CAMILLERI

K M T P — ‘WALK OUT TO SPACE’

Keria Paterson, AKA K M T P, has unleashed  yet another brilliant single from their upcoming debut album With Love, K M T P and much like its predecessor, it sounds like an instant classic. Paterson has an unbelievable knack for writing earworm-riffs, and ‘Walk Out To Space’ is no exception, delivering a gorgeous guitar-fuzz indie rock, with lyrics that hit us in the gut, all whilst allowing us to relish in its blissful escapism. 

“I wrote ‘Walk Out To Space’ at a time when I was super busy creatively but also had really bad burnout,” says K M T P. “I was diving into some new creative endeavours when I hit a bit of a roadblock and had a meltdown. The song was a product of those emotions, and the lyrics conflict weirdly with the instrumentation, which I really like. I wanted the song to feel upbeat and energetic, even if the lyrics were fairly depressing.”

I cannot wait to see where this project goes. It feels like music we might all need right now. Thanks Keria. 

Make sure you pre-order their new album With Love, K M T P HERE via Bandcamp. K M T P are also hitting the road this October, so check out the details and grab your tickets HERE.

—————————————————————————————————————

KRISTIN HERSH — NATIONWIDE TOUR

Indie icon Kristin Hersh will be touring Aotearoa for the first time since 2014. Hersh released her debut single ‘Your Ghost’ in 1994 via 4AD, and has enchanted listeners since then with her honest songwriting and brilliant musicality.

Don’t miss your chance to see her live this November, and be sure to pre-order her upcoming album Clear Poncd Road via Bandcamp HERE.  Tickets for her tour are available HERE. 

Aotearoa songwriter Sofia Machray has unveiled her debut EP Language of Flowers, after a string of luminescent singles released this year during its lead up. Her debut project is a heartfelt outpouring of difficult emotion and personal growth, laid across six tracks that prove her undeniable talents as a songwriter and musician.

“This record was like writing letters to my future self to help me get through confusing times and modern-day pressures of growing into adulthood. Over the last year of making this record, I found myself subconsciously writing about moving on before the moving on had even begun. I found it interesting that I’d been trying to let go of something whilst still trying to hold on. These moments of self-discovery can be confronting at times, I often find myself turning to nature to help me come to peace with overwhelming feelings.”

Sofia will be embarking on a nationwide tour this month alongside her 5-piece band. Be sure to grab tickets to what will no doubt be a spellbinding performance. For date, location and ticket information, click HERE. You can listen to and support Sofia Machray’s new EP Language of Flowers via Bandcamp HERE.

—————————————————————————————————————

SILVA SPIRAL — COMPENDIUM OF COLOURS

You can almost hear the cold Wellington wind amongst Silva Spiral’s sonic canvases, self-produced and recorded in her bedroom. Pōneke-based artist Silva Spiral, who floated into the landscape with her enchanting debut single ‘Charm The Wind’ last month, has now dropped her full-length, Compendium of Colours. Much like its name suggests, the project is a wild display of timbre that paints reflections of her imaginations and expressions through unique blends of synthesisers and effects — an absolute fearless introduction into Spiral's idiosyncratic world of sound. 

You can listen to and support Silva Spiral's new album via Bandcamp HERE. 

—————————————————————————————————————

DIRTY PROJECTORS — ‘SEARCH FOR LIFE’

This is one of the albums we play a lot in the Auckland office. 5EPs by US indie long-timers Dirty Projectors gives fans and listeners a special glimpse into what it might sound like if the band rotated roles, with each member taking a turn at leading each EP. The finished result is a wonderful array of sound that sheds light on the band’s sonic makeup. Not to mention that the songs are very, very good. 

You can purchase 5 EPs via the Flying Nun Record store HERE. 

—————————————————————————————————————

BLUNT DOG — HOW IS A DOG SO HONEST?

The latest canine to hit Aotearoa’s music scene is Blunt Dog, a four-piece based in Põneke, who have just released their debut EP How Is A Dog So Honest? — a collection of nine intricately-textured vignettes that introduce their warm, home-spun sounds to the world (well, perhaps we better say “laundry-spun”, as according to their Bandcamp, Blunt Dog recorded the album “in a laundry in the forest”). From its very first track, this new project evokes a special comfort, reeling out a series of intimate reflections around a cosy fire — its louder moments providing catharsis, and its softer pieces inviting you to lean in closer. My favourite thing about the record is the guitar playing — the strings fumble and chatter amongst themselves, weaving a dreamy sound bed to lay into. I highly recommend giving this a listen — can’t wait to hear what more this quartet has to offer. 

You can listen to their new album HERE via Bandcamp. 

SATSUKI SHIBANO — WAVE NOTATION 3: ERIK SATIE 1984

I visited our Cuba Street store over the weekend whilst visiting from Auckland, and this LP sitting on the wall immediately caught my attention. This is the third instalment of the Wave Notation series, curated by Satoshi Ashikawa for the label Sound Process in 1984, this time exploring one of ambient music’s originators — and I'm not talking about Eno. Erik Satie’s music created many shapes for the scene and inspired many — including Tokyo-based musician Satsuki Shibano, who dedicated much of her career to the composer and his music. Presented across four sides in a beautiful double vinyl package, with liner notes by the pianist herself, Wave Notation 3 reimages Satie’s compositions through Shibano’s delicate, yet affirmed playing. 

You can purchase this on LP via the Flying Nun Record Store HERE. 

—————————————————————————————————————

95bFM — bRAVE AUCKLAND DANCE PARTY + RECORD FAIR