Release Roundup: Jujulipps, Recitals, Arthur Ahbez, Data Animal, Revulva + More

Revisit this week's new release coverage of Grecco Romank, MOKOTRON, Phoebe Rings, Al Park, Office Dog and Albert River, then explore more new / recent Aotearoa highlights below from Jujulipps, Recitals, Arthur Ahbez, Data Animal, Revulva, Molly Payton, Marrowspawn, We Will Ride Fast, and Frog Power.

Guest performer at last night's Going Global Presents Artist Showcase in Tāmaki Makaurau (scope out this evening's all-star lineup HERE), 2024 Best Independent Debut winner Jujulipps maintains her knockout run with new club banger 'Game Over', plus stylish, multi-character visual experience directed by Night Watch. "This is the first single from my new EP project and introduces a new side of Juju to the world, an alternative hip hop slant to the usual realm Juju sits in... Jazz and Jaya (from Nightwatch) were amazing to work with and made sure we were always creatively aligned. It was literally one of the best experiences I've had filming a music video. I wanted the idea of 3 game characters: one sexy, one cute and one masculine, to depict the personalities fighting to take centre stage". 

Originally based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and now spreading wings all around, Flying Nun Records super-collective Recitals get super-connected once again on their forthcoming I GOT GOLD! EP. Hit play on the DIY karaoke vid for scrappy lead single 'Champion Runner' and look forward to the full launch on 27th September, you may wish to preorder the 12" vinyl edition via the Bandcamp link.

A new Arthur Ahbez release is an exciting prospect indeed, the psych-folk excellence of his 2017 album Volume II looms large as a local highlight of the past decade for this listener. The Tirau-based tunesmith reemerged late late week wearing a cowboy hat with news of his latest album Arthur Ahbez & The Flaming Ahbez and rough 'n' tumble lead single 'Reckless', complete with an action-packed video directed by the artist himself.

Berlin-based Aotearoa digital rock degenerates Data Animal unfurled new two song EP 'Chemical Cowboy / Dancing with The Devil' via Oliver Ackermann's (Death By Audio / A Place To Bury Strangers) imprint Dedstrange. Data Animal feel notably Primal Screamy this time around, frying motherboards with their tekno-primitive shoegaze squalls like Tetsuo The Iron Man on a strung-out downer buzz — blardy nice.

Perfectly timed for the hot topic reunion of '90s Britpop stars Oasis, 'Heroin Chic’ was infamously big in that era and is also the new scorcher from Te Whanganui-a-Tara progressive soul / funk collective Revulva. Composer / lyricist Phoebe Johnson (Dateline) shared: “This song is about the nuance of working too hard, then liking it, but feeling angry that you want it - because most likely, you’ve been manipulated into that”. Experience the debauched, gig gone wrong visuals co-directed by Johnson and Daniel Kingston, and preorder Revulva’s self-titled album, out this October in a crowd-funded vinyl LP edition you can support HERE.

Hailing from Aotearoa and now based in London, emo-rock songwriter on the rise Molly Payton unveiled her debut album YOYOTTA ('You’re On Your Own This Time, Again') crafted in collaboration with Oscar Lang. Hit play on Payton's live session of the shoegazey title track, filmed with band (Damin McCabe, Reuben Scott, Ezra Donnelly) in Te Aroha.

Pōneke exteme metal ear-shredders Marrowspawn unleashed their new collection Left to Decay earlier this month, six whiplash tracks and one long one of unsparing sonic brutality, lovingly mixed and mastered by Campbell "Cat Man" Kneale.

The creative juggernaut that is Tauranga's We Will Ride Fast shows no sign of slowing down, pondering elemental concerns on new psy-fi ballad 'Matter Makes Abstraction' — you can experience Kyle Sattler's nightmarish AI animated video for the single HERE.

Ōtepoti's Frog Power hops back into our hearts with three fresh masterworks, a clip for morpheus, my son new album standout 'micro penis support dog', catchy new hit 'f*ck a chutney Eater' plus a bold spin on an internationally beloved Kiwi classic. Hellz yea ribbit.