Release Roundup: Night Lunch, XRVR, Sophie Burbery, Liam Finn, Elliott Dawson, Kédu, Neil MacLeod

Our ears are still ringing from Loves Ugly Children's reunion show last night at Tāmaki Makaurau's The Mothership. Revisit this week's coverage of Best Bets, Swallow The Rat, SKILAA, Louisa Nicklin and Zed, watch our new episode of LIVE MUSIC BAR starring Office Dog, then explore more new / recent Aotearoa release highlights below from Night Lunch, XRVR, Sophie Burbery, Liam Finn, Elliot Dawson, Kédu, and Neil MacLeod.

Ōtepoti's mighty Night Lunch aka Liam Hoffman and Liam Dorf shadow-dropped their Measure Twice, Cut Once EP late last week. Six massive tracks including lead cut noise-rock slammer '1 MILLION PINES', Wax Chattels-esque no-reply email anthem 'Case of the Mondays on Sunday' and the rabid buzzsaw thuggery of 'Dog Show'. All Night Lunch releases are classic Aotearoa releases, everybody knows this!

Also unveiled late last week was 'BLACK SHADES', the new synth punk scorcher and club-pumping live fave from Whanganui dynamo XRVR, who is on one heck of a winning streak in 2K24.

Sophie Burbery today unveiled 'Rau' (leaves), a second synthetic vision from her forthcoming album Kōwhai, conjuring beat-driven crystalline elegance and contemplative ambient / new agey zones for your ears to journey within. Not unlike a lush nature illustration reimagined in sound, Kōwhai "is comprised of five musical pieces that traverse the anatomy & physiology of the kōwhai tree" — out in full digitally on 6th September, I demand a cassette release too.

These days a core member of Crowded House and thus official Aotearoa rock royalty, Liam Finn continues to unleash tunes from his Hyperverse project with demented new single 'Living Daylights'. Looks like he's been cooking up a suitably mind-frying video too.

Creator of laudably ambitious 2022 debut solo album Hang Low, Pōneke's Elliott Dawson (DOONS) at last reemerges with dramatic new single 'Quarter Life' and accompanying noirish self-directed stunner, filmed by fellow Wiri Donna bandmate Bianca Bailey. A welcome return and we want more.

One half of Aotearoa club duo Kédu Carlö, Kédu shares neo-soul / R&B "affirmation of hope" 'Wanna Go', an opulent lead cut from her forthcoming debut How Do I Speak EP.

I Need A Battle is the new EP and accompanying short film (co-directed with Oscar Keys) from Neil MacLeod, a typically epic-scale work from the Aotearoa singer / producer / multimedia artist, gathering his recent singles 'Tunnel Vision' and 'Fear' with five soul-scorching new works. "I Need A Battle is a reminder to confront the things that scare us. It’s not a new idea, but it’s one that humans need constant reminding of, myself included. I’m confronting things when I write these songs, and I hope that they can help others to do the same".