The Sampler

Te Whanganui-a-Tara artist MĀ raps and sings in te reo Māori and English on her second album, pondering environmental issues while maintaining a sense of fun. Audio

The Taite Prize-nominated musician (real name Shannon Fowler) on his new album Moonlight Hotel, and how it relates to his family history of gold panning in Murchison. Audio

The Montreal producer teams up with dancefloor doyens Soulwax for an album of floor-fillers with thematic heft. Audio

On his third solo album the Ringlets guitarist balances irreverence and loveliness, branching out stylistically while still harking back to the past. Audio

Elliott Childs reviews Portland musician and Drive-By Truckers co-founder Patterson Hood's first solo record in over a decade which features indie heavy weights MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchee. Audio

Japanese Breakfast's fourth album, For Melancholy Brunettes and Sad Women, is an attempt to find balance. The result is a fabled collection of songs inspired by hours of reading, writing, and stepping… Read more Audio

Charlotte Yates is a gifted songwriter with seven albums to her name, and many other musical projects and compilations. Her love of the spoken word has opened New Zealanders' ears to poetry put to… Read more Audio

Maggie Tweedie reviews Throwing Muses new album Moonlight Concessions. The nine new songs from Moonlight are an effervescent addition to the band's varied and eclectic catalogue, showcasing a more… Read more Audio

An upbeat collection from the Animal Collective member hides its serious intent beneath waves of major-chord harmonies. Audio

On his third solo album the '90s hitmaker pays tribute to his late mother on RnB songs with uncommon depth. Audio