Release Roundup: CHAII, Al Park, Marlin's Dreaming, Frog Power, Jim Nothing, Body Of Work, Albert River + More.

Revisit this week's coverage of Troy Kingi, Mike Hall, Mousey, Grecco Romank and The Butlers, read our interviews with Loves Ugly Children, Eyegum, and UTR founder / head honcho Daryl Fincham looking back at 20 years of UnderTheRadar, watch our new episode of LIVE MUSIC BAR starring Office Dog, then explore more new / recent Aotearoa release highlights below from CHAII, Al Park, Marlin's Dreaming, Frog Power, Jim Nothing, Body of Work, Goodwill, Albert River, and Karl Sölve Steven x Molly Lewis.

Already a pop heavyweight on the global stage, Persian-Aotearoa singer / rapper / producer CHAII sticks the landing with today's debut album Safar, produced by her husband Frank Keys and meaning "journey" in Persian. Celebrate with the sumptuous visualiser for the title track and listen up below.

Legend of Lyttelton's songwriting community, Al Park unveiled his second album in twenty years, titled either Monkey or One For The Dog One For The Cat & One For The People With A Monkey On Their Back, depending on the source. Produced by Dick Picton, guests contributors include Adam Hattaway, Tess Liautaud, Elmore Jones, Steve Harrop and Thomas Isbister — nab the compact disc edition via the Bandcamp link and give it a whirl. "A man who has no thoughts of retiring, Al is still digging in the record mines and as excited as a teenager with their first demo, Al keeps making records and writing songs and singing them for whomever comes a listening but more importantly because songs are his story".

Fronted by guitar-pop songwriting talent and director Semisi Ma’ia’i, who created their latest videos, it's been a three year journey to Marlin's Dreaming's sparkling and assured new album HIRL — named for "the onomatopoeic sound the wind makes against the brittle grasses of the Dunedin high country". "If I had to pick a theme of the record, it’s the incessant wandering of the mind. How each element of our experience, from memory of place, to romance flourishing or declining, is filtered through our own solitude. I wanted each element, the music, the design to the visuals in the videos - to reflect this wandering. It’s been a lot of fun communicating each single’s different ideas".

Fellow Ōtepoti artiste Frog Power reemerges with their first new long player in two years, thirteen track DIY hit hook monster morpheus, my son. One commenter described it as "A Frog Power album with mainstream appeal" and gosh dang they may be correct. Get ready for 'top ten celebrities rotting in a prison cell Tonight', 'ambulance' and 'micro penis support dog (and a liscence to smoke Medical marijuana)' to take over The Edge breakfast radio team's airwaves this brat summer.

Also great at music, Jim Nothing announced today the sequel to their excellent 2022 debut album In The Marigolds, launching Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn into both hemispheres of our green planet on 1st October via Meritorio Records (Spain) and Melted Ice Cream (NZ). Feel the experiential lushness of new single 'The Present' and order the vinyl LP edition via the Bandcamp link. "I became quite obsessed with burying textures of tin whistle and reed organ to create this organic sounding "feedback" that had natural modulations. I became utterly enamored with the combination of these sounds that it spread into most parts of Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn".

Body of Work is the new collaborative project of Tāmaki Makaurau's Sarah Illingsworth and West Yorkshire-based artist Dan B. Hill, who today have shared 'Bottle To Go', "the first from a small collection of break-up songs" named Secondhand Blues. Produced / engineered and performed by Shannon Fowler (Tom Lark) and featuring Julien Dyne on drums, the lilting and melancholic dream-pop of 'Bottle To Go' seeks to accept the world on its own terms. "Bottle To Go is a personal anthem, for better or worse. And – thanks to Dan – so catchy! It harks back to my only long-term romantic relationship, but also to other chapters along the way. I wrote the lyrics to fit the shape of what Dan had hummed against his track, and somehow that turned into a song that feels key to me. Thanks to every man that's had a crack at standing by me. We do our best!"

Special guest support for Mousey on her just-announced album release tour (grab tickets HERE), Ōtautahi songwriter / producer Goodwill aka Will McGillivray shared a sweeping, jangle-rock ballad from his forthcoming debut album, due out later this year via Winegum Records. "I instantly loved the chords I found and began writing and producing it shortly after. At some point in the song I wanted it to turn into a cacophony, everything in at once, everything at it’s limit. There’s a moment in there where it feels like almost every instrument in my studio is in there at the same time".

Contributor to Vera Ellen's Taite Music Prize-winning latest album Ideal Home Noise and also in fact her brother, Albert River unveiled 'send my love', a delicately emotive lead ballad from the Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai / Lower Hutt songwriter's debut album bank woe — out on 6th September via Home Alone Music. "There is a ghostly energy in these songs, bank woe has many meanings interweaving, it is very much exploring life and death… about being a poor artist".

Award-winning Aotearoa composer and maestro on the synths, Karl Sölve Steven joined forces with LA-bases whistler extraordinaire Molly Lewis (featured on the Barbie soundtrack) for 'Bookworm Theme' — a lush and pastoral first taste of the official soundtrack for director Ant Timpson's new adventure comedy film Bookworm.