Stay up to date with New Zealand music releases with Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s weekly roundup.
This edition of our roundup is a bumper two-week special, covering October 27th-November 9th.
Check out the releases by Aotearoa acts you might have missed below!
Theia – Girl, in a Savage World
Theia’s phenomenal ten-track debut album Girl, in a Savage World has finally dropped. Blending her trademark ethereal vocals and haunting harmonies with Māori instrumentation and contemporary soundscapes, the album showcases a unique sound that defies categorisation.
Castaway – Nondual
The second EP from the pop-rock five-piece, Nondual is a defining moment in their story. The title, inspired by a philosophy class, refers to the idea that everything is connected, that opposites are simply two sides of the same coin — a concept that resonated deeply with the group. Across the six tracks, the band explores the spectrum of human connection: young love, heartbreak, long distance, deception, grief, and hope.
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Harper Finn – Silo Park
The highly anticipated debut album from Harper Finn, Silo Park is a a sonic tapestry woven between two worlds – the familiar landscapes of Aotearoa and the restless pulse of New York City. Across its eleven tracks, he captures the cinematic scope of change, isolation, and self-discovery, charting his evolution as both an artist and a human being.
Sola Rosa – “Jupiter”
Sola Rosa, or Andrew Spraggon, has shared the first taste of his upcoming eighth studio album (due for release in early 2026). “Jupiter” is a confident statement of intent — with a shuffling rhythm, gleaming synths, and the effortless cool of long-time collaborator Iva Lamkum.
BENEE – Ur an Angel I’m Just Particles
Featuring singles such as “Cinnamon”, “Off the Rails”, “Animal”, and “Sad Boiii”, BENEE’s second album is her most personal work yet. “I’ve poured my whole heart into this project, and I’m so grateful for your patience. I can’t wait for you to step into this world I’ve built,” she shares.
Skram – What Is a Man
Rooted in themes of life, death, gender, and identity, Skram’s second studio album is a magnetic, genre-defying experience that challenges the rigid archetypes of masculinity and invites vulnerability, softness, and self-discovery into the spotlight. Opening with the anthemic title track, the electro-pop powerhouse dismantles the old-school ‘kiwi bloke’ mythos with operatic flair and theatrical swagger.
Beastwars – The Ship // The Sea
Growing more primal, dark, and heavy as the world does, Beastwars provide us with another hypnotic and relentlessly intense look at a world sliding headlong into the abyss. Reconnecting with the heaviness of their origins, The Ship // The Sea distils that darkness into one of the most cathartic albums of their career.
MOKOMOKAI – Whakarehu and PONO!
The trio of Manu, Dusty, and Ghos continue to carve their own lane in Aotearoa hip-hop with two landmark releases now on vinyl. 2023’s WHAKAREHU, their stormy second full-length, bolstered by guest appearances from Brandn Shiraz, MELODOWNZ and Troy Kingi, and this year’s PONO!, their third album, which expands the vision with collaborations from Lukan Raisey, MĀ, Mara TK, Lui Tuiasau, and Tyra Hammond.
JessB – 3 More Nights in Amsterdam (5th Anniversary Edition)
To celebrate the fifth birthday of her mixtape 3 Nights in Amsterdam, JessB has shared an expanded edition with three unreleased tracks and a new remix from HalfQueen and Pasquinel. Coming to vinyl for the first time, it cements a defining chapter in her career.
Bic Runga – “Paris in the Rain”
The second single off her upcoming album Red Sunset (due for release in early 2026), Bic Runga has released”Paris in the Rain”, inspired by how beautiful the city looked during a winter trip. “There was something magical about it; the lights reflecting on the wet streets, the feeling of saying goodbye. It’s built around a historic 1807 Pleyel piano and feels like the beginning of a new chapter for me,” she shares.
Sam Cullen – Sam Cullen
The ten-track self-titled debut album from Sam Cullen is infused with the rising star’s unique and refreshing style of rock ‘n’ roll-meets-pop. Crafted over six years, and in cities across the country, the ‘coming of age’ album takes the listener on a journey from youth to adulthood.
Dick Move – “Shut Your Mouth”
“Imagine a big smack talking, gold tooth wearing, trust fund bludging, sweaty forehead shining, boring story battling, right wing apologising, space over- taking, oxygen up sucking dude is harshing your vibe at the bar. This is what you say,” vocalist Lucy Suttor shares of the new single. It is the latest taken from their forthcoming album Dream, Believe, Achieve (set for release November 14th).
