We’ve started this month with the fullness of the Rakaunui moon beaming and guiding us into Whiringa-ā-nuku (October) and Matiti Hana (the second summer phase). The native puawānanga (clematis) bear bright white flowers and kōrero of tākeke (Piper fish) and ngā korowhiti o Tangaroa (leaping mullet) emerge from our tūpuna stories. Maramataka is rooted in … Read more
For the first and last time, Henry Oliver gives his definitive account of The Spinoff’s best New Zealand music of 2018. Read it and get angry. Here it is, my ten best albums and ten best songs, all from Aoteroa, all released in 2018. The one rule: appearance on one list disqualifies that artist from … Read more
We asked you, our loyal readers, what your favourite albums and songs of the year were, both from here and from elsewhere. Oh, and your favourite shows, your reflections on the year, and predictions for next year. This is what you told us. Best local album The Beths Future Me Hates Me (24%) Avantdale Bowling … Read more
The low energy day of Whiro is best spent fasting, meditating and cleansing the body. Want to know more? Check out the maramataka for October. Kia ora tātou, welcome to Whiringa-ā-nuku! Hopefully the last few columns have got you thinking and talking about the maramataka. With this latest instalment, we will continue to add mātauranga as … Read more
On the first day of New Zealand Music Month, Max Tetlow introduces a new monthly round-up of some of the best things to happen in New Zealand music in the previous month. Unknown Mortal Orchestra drop Sex & Food ahead of a world tour This album made headlines for two reasons. First, it’s very good. Second, during … Read more
Last week, Auckland-based producer and musician October released her debut album, Ultra Red. She tells Henry Oliver about how, two months before the album’s intended release, she took the recordings back and remade it by herself. “I had my pre-album release freak out – no big deal, I just reproduced the entire album, as you do,” … Read more
Henry Oliver talks to Auckland-based producer/singer/artist October about her new single ‘Pure’ and the return of the guitar. A year or so ago, October’s single ‘Cherry Cola’ struck me out of nowhere. Someone tweeted it, I clicked on it, put it on repeat, and within days it seemed all sorts of people were tweeting about … Read more
Gareth Shute examines the varied ways songs are written in the modern era by speaking to three artists who’ve released work recently – Herriot Row, Raiza Biza and October. The last two decades have seen digital technology offering new possibilities not only for the recording process but also the act of songwriting itself. To get … Read more