The Sampler

Elliott Childs reviews Seattle snack rock band Great Grandpa's first new album in 5 Years.

Maggie Tweedie reviews Riki Pirihi and Abigail Aroha Jensen release Tūpiki a spiritual and experimental album inspired by the journey Maui took to climb the 12 stairs of heaven, Te Ara Poutama.

Toeing a line between pop and indie guitars, the Christchurch band's debut LP is wildly impressive.

Zach Condon's compositions for a Swedish circus troupe show he's still a musical magpie, and can still pen moving tunes.

A selection of remixes from Pitch Black's Rude Mechanicals yields bass bin-busting results.

The 30th anniversary edition of this Washington DC band's final album comes loaded with rarities that are as good as the main tracks.

Entering the world of German DJ Koze can be a head-spinning experience, but it's a rewarding one, too.

There's a touch of larrikinism to the Aussie psych rockers' sixth album, but some beaut tunes as well.

A pleasant surprise has emerged from a basement studio in Auckland, Aaron Wood's solo project mixing vintage technology with lashings of post-punk.

Tony catches up with the Te Whanganui-a-Tara multi-hyphenate about her environmentally-aware second LP.

Singer-songwriter Neive Strang enlists producer Sean Donnelly for a simmering set of songs that wisely foreground her voice.

Justin Vernon's future-folk project has swollen with ambition over the years, toeing a line between artsy indulgence and solid tunes.

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.

A second album of relaxed tracks from Titirangi-via-Wellington musician Serebii foregrounds his singing, spanning folk music as well as beatmaking.

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.