New Music 31/07
July wraps up with another stacked week of new music from around Aotearoa. With the first hints of longer, warmer days on the horizon, there's no shortage of fresh releases to soundtrack the change in seasons, from intimate singer-songwriter moments and soaring indie rock to ambitious debut albums and boundary-pushing alternative sounds.
Do you have a new song coming out? Send me a message at ryanfromroots@gmail.com to get a feature!
Bronny — I Hoped to Write a Love Song
Based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Bronny returns with I Hope to Write a Love Song, the first glimpse into a new chapter for the emerging artist. Following the release of the debut EP Walking to Luci's House, Bronny continues to embrace dreamy, intimate songwriting while pushing further into lo-fi and atmospheric textures, creating a sound that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. Written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Lebron Cosgrave, I Hope to Write a Love Song marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the Wellington artist.
The Boondocks — Drive
The Boondocks are a rock duo from the Awhitu Peninsula, south of Auckland, made up of Scott Parker and Branden Pritchard. Known for their high-energy, riff-driven sound powered by just bass and drums, the pair have built a reputation through relentless live performances and a string of charting singles that have earned airplay on stations including The Rock and Radio Hauraki. They now return with their latest single, Drive, continuing to showcase the raw energy and no-frills rock sound that has quickly established them as one of Aotearoa's rising rock acts.
Morgan La Fae — Cigarettes and Coffee
Morgan La Fae is an emerging dream-pop artist from Ōtautahi whose music blends ethereal soundscapes with nostalgic, emotionally rich storytelling. Despite Cigarettes and Coffee marking her debut single, Morgan brings years of experience performing alongside artists including Marlon Williams, Dictaphone Blues and Adam Hattaway and The Haunters, while also working behind the scenes in artist marketing and event promotion. The track is the first glimpse of her upcoming EP Full Immersion, a five-song concept project inspired by the five senses, pairing dreamy instrumentation with reflections on romance, memory and the blurred line between reality and fantasy.
Lavvender — Overexposed
Lavvender is a Tāmaki Makaurau indie-pop artist whose music blends indie-folk warmth with an alternative edge, pairing melodic songwriting with deeply personal lyricism. She returns with Overexposed, a reflective new single exploring self-criticism and the distorted way we often perceive ourselves compared to the kindness we show others. Originally written as a university songwriting assignment, the track has grown into an intimate, shimmering indie-pop release through a collaboration with producer Ben Woolford, marking the third single from Lavvender's upcoming EP How My Love Descends.
Bryony Matthews — BRAIN STORM (ALBUM)
Bryony Matthews is an Ōtautahi singer-songwriter whose poetic songwriting blends alt-pop with intimate storytelling. She returns with BRAIN STORM, a deeply personal six-track concept album documenting her recovery from a life-changing brain injury. Led by the haunting single Storm, the record explores the fear, trauma and resilience that followed the accident, with Bryony embracing a more experimental vocal style alongside minimalist electronic production. Co-produced with Steven Marr, BRAIN STORM is accompanied by a multimedia theatre tour that combines live music, storytelling and visual art, while aiming to foster greater understanding of life after brain injury.
3D Howls — The Journey to Find Keith (ALBUM)
3D Howls are an Ōtautahi band whose eclectic sound fuses progressive rock, metal, jazz fusion and funk into something entirely their own. After seven years of writing, recording and refining, they have unveiled their debut album, The Journey to Find Keith, a genre-spanning concept record that follows songwriter Dylan Jonkers' surreal storytelling through themes of neurodiversity, social commentary and fantastical adventures. Bold, unpredictable and unapologetically unconventional, the album marks an ambitious introduction to one of Aotearoa's most distinctive emerging acts.
Hina — Descending Dreams (ALBUM)
Hina has released her debut album Descending Dreams, a deeply personal collection that reflects on identity, healing and the slow journey back to oneself. Led by the sweeping focus track River To Mouth, the APRA Silver Scroll-nominated songwriter blends intimate folk, alt-country and rich orchestration across a record written in her childhood bedroom and recorded over the course of a year. Produced by Navakatoa Tekela-Pule and featuring contributions from some of Aotearoa's most respected musicians, Descending Dreams marks a compelling debut from one of New Zealand's most distinctive songwriting voices.
Katie-Lee Webster — Changing is Lonely
Katie-Lee is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based artist, songwriter and producer whose nostalgic synth-pop pairs lush harmonies and atmospheric production with deeply personal lyricism. They return with Changing is Lonely, their first fully self-produced single, reflecting on the isolation, self-doubt and clarity that came from leaving behind a former lifestyle to pursue music with intention. Accompanied by a self-filmed, directed and edited music video, the release highlights Katie-Lee's DIY approach and serves as the first taste of a self-produced EP due later this year.
Park Flyers — running out/i could be there
Park Flyers are a Te Whanganui-a-Tara emo duo building a name for themselves through raw songwriting and high-energy live performances. Following support slots with DARTZ, Coast Arcade, Back To The Hillside and First Reserve, along with appearances at CubaDupa and a North Island tour with Slow Rage, they return with the double single running out / i could be there. Exploring themes of brotherhood, growing up and nostalgia through driving rhythms and second-wave emo influences, the release offers the first glimpse of their upcoming project you're a real brick, which continues the duo's blend of gritty alternative rock and heartfelt midwest emo-inspired songwriting.
Lily Linscott — Saying Goodbye
Lily Linscott is an independent pop artist and singer-songwriter whose honest, vulnerable songwriting continues to resonate with listeners on both sides of the Tasman. Following a breakthrough 2026 that saw singles Resolutions and you can be happy too earn mainstream radio support, plus a headline show at Wellington's San Fran and a move to Brisbane to further her career, Lily returns with Saying Goodbye. Written after the passing of a childhood friend, the heartfelt pop ballad reflects on grief, loss and the quiet reality of life continuing after heartbreak, offering comfort to anyone navigating the loss of someone close.
Luna and the Aether — Metanoia (ALBUM)
Luna and the Aether are an Ōtautahi gothic alt-rock trio whose music blends dark folk, doom, grunge and shoegaze into immersive, emotionally charged soundscapes. Following the release of the singles Mirage and Sojourn, the band unveil their debut album Metanoia, a raw exploration of repentance, death, forgiveness and returning to oneself through vivid spiritual imagery. Recorded at Moonbase Record Collective, the album balances crushing, fuzz-drenched instrumentation with moments of delicate vulnerability, marking a powerful introduction to one of Aotearoa's most compelling emerging heavy acts.
Anthonie Tonnon — Executive Assistant
Anthonie Tonnon returns with Executive Assistant, his first new music in three years and the opening chapter of his ambitious new audio-visual project Cinematographer. Produced alongside longtime collaborator Jonathan Pearce, the single pairs chopped live-band recordings with acid basslines and dance-pop influences from the late 1990s and early 2000s, signalling a bold new direction for the Taite Music Prize-winning songwriter. Released alongside an immersive music video, Executive Assistant offers the first glimpse into the world of Cinematographer, which will premiere as a live multimedia performance before touring New Zealand, Melbourne and London later this year.
HINE — KA MUA KA MURI (EP)
HINE is the musical project of GiGi Crayford, whose debut EP Ka Mua Ka Muri reflects a deeply personal journey of reconnecting with whakapapa, te reo Māori and ancestral whenua. Written in both te reo Māori and English, the five-track release weaves together taonga pūoro, folk instrumentation and genre-blending songwriting to explore healing, identity and wāhine strength. Recorded on Ngāti Raukawa land with contributions from her whānau, Ka Mua Ka Muri marks a powerful introduction to an artist drawing on tradition to create something uniquely her own.
Niccolo Piccolo — Mauri Ora
Niccolo Piccolo is the music project of award-winning Aotearoa country-folk artist Nicola Mitchell (Ngāti Maniapoto), creating joyful waiata that encourage children and whānau to engage with te reo Māori. Following the release of Row My Waka earlier this year, Niccolo Piccolo returns with Mauri Ora, a warm folk-inspired waiata written entirely in te reo Māori that celebrates connection and everyday language. Created with guidance from THEIA and supported by Te Māngai Pāho, Creative New Zealand and the APRA Aotearoa Mentorship Programme, Mauri Ora continues Niccolo Piccolo's mission to make learning te reo Māori accessible, memorable and full of joy for listeners of all ages.
Spirit Boy — Sunshine
Spirit Boy are a Christchurch alternative rock outfit whose emotionally charged songwriting continues to evolve following the release of their debut album The Existential Hours. Their latest single, Sunshine, reflects on finding hope and connection during life's darkest moments, pairing heartfelt lyricism with a broader sound inspired by 1980s alternative music. Recorded, produced and mixed by Ryan Fisherman in Lyttelton and mastered by Steven Marr, Sunshine marks the first of three new singles planned for 2026 as the band continue to build on the momentum of their debut release.
Gareth Thomas — Lilly Knows Electricity
Gareth Thomas returns with Lilly Knows Electricity, a bright indie-pop single inspired by an unexpected encounter that reignited his passion for songwriting. Best known as a founding member of Goodshirt and a member of Fazerdaze, Thomas channels playful storytelling and vintage pop influences into a track that celebrates creativity, inspiration and music's ability to connect people across generations. Recorded between his home studio and Broom Studio with contributions from his Goodshirt bandmates, Lilly Knows Electricity marks a joyful new chapter for one of Aotearoa's most respected songwriters.
MITI — Wasting More Time On You
MITI are a Porirua country duo made up of siblings Tiana and Sonny Miti, blending classic country storytelling with modern production. They return with Wasting More Time On You, a bold breakup anthem mixed and mastered in Nashville and accompanied by a cinematic Western-inspired music video. With Tiana's heartfelt vocals and Sonny's songwriting at the core of the project, the pair continue to champion timeless country music while helping grow the genre's presence in Aotearoa.
Max Allais — Crybaby
Max Allais is a New Zealand-French pop artist whose heartfelt songwriting and contemporary production continue to build momentum both at home and overseas. Following the release of his debut EP ANYWHERE & EVERYWHERE and the success of singles Wherever You Go, Everywhere and When the Party Ends, he returns with Cry Baby, an upbeat pop track that explores heartbreak, vulnerability and moving forward. Having performed across New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the UK while amassing millions of followers across social media, Max continues to establish himself as one of Aotearoa's most exciting emerging pop voices.
Black Comet — My Prerogative
Black Comet return with their first release of 2026, My Prerogative, putting their own galactic funk spin on the classic Bobby Brown track. Led by Laughton Kora, the band blend funk, rock, soul and psychedelic influences into a groove-driven sound that has earned them a reputation as one of Aotearoa's most exciting live acts. Following recent performances alongside Thundercat and Troy Kingi, My Prerogative marks the beginning of a new chapter for Black Comet, capturing the band's signature energy and genre-defying approach.
