Bandcamp Friday is back today — the ideal time to pull finger and support our musical community during that 24 hour period when the platform waive their revenue share on all artists’ music and merch sales. Ahead of this month’s SRN Awards extravaganza, we’ve invited Student Radio Network representatives across Aotearoa to beat the drum about some fave recent tracks worthy of your support. Bandcamp Friday begins tonight at 8pm NZST tonight and rolls until 8pm NZST on Saturday. Synchronise watches to the handy countdown clock HERE.
Sharing their selections this month are reps from Radio One 91FM, Radio Control 99.4FM, Radio Active 88.6FM, RDU 98.5FM and 95bFM. On top of these options, be sure to check out the impeccably curated and diverse buyaotearoa wishlist, and of course dive into Bandcamp’s New Zealand tag page HERE for more to the minute local music discoveries…
‘Fool’s Game’ – Emily Alice
Bubbling up from the deep south, Emily Alice (actual band’s name, not a human) are a soul sonic force (actual force, not the Universal Zulu Nation band) that on ‘Fool’s Game’ blend RnB rhythms, reverb washed guitars and funk drenched bass lines that send rays of southern sun (metaphorical sun rays, not actual protons of electromagnetic radiation) grooves through your body just in time for summer. — Jamie Green, Radio One 91FM Breakfast Host & Producer, Ōtepoti / Dunedin
‘Sweetheart’ – SJD
While SJD is not from Ōtepoti, he is currently based here, and under trans-Tasman law, that’s enough for us to claim him. SJD makes what I can only describe as a “Goddamn” return with album number eight Sweetheart. An album of two halves from one of our most creative minds. SJD blends everything we have loved from his past into an album that sounds like nothing he’s ever done. He’s that good. — Jamie Green, Radio One 91FM Breakfast Host & Producer, Ōtepoti / Dunedin
‘Dead Sea’ – Anthea De Milo
All I want to do is sway broodily to this song. With a hypnotic music bed and soulful vocals, it’s an A++ track from the amazing Anthea De Milo. — Liam Donnelly, RDU 98.5FM Programme Manager & Host of RDU’s Burnt Breakfast, Ōtautahi / Christchurch
‘I’m Such A Virgo’ – Motion Project
I love the guitars in this song, but the vocal harmonies are the true star of the show! Give me sun, a canned RTD, and someone’s backyard, and I’d happily bop to this song all day! — Liam Donnelly, RDU 98.5FM Programme Manager & Host of RDU’s Burnt Breakfast, Ōtautahi / Christchurch
‘Homewrecker’ – Vera Ellen
Vera Ellen does it again! The song is clever, quick witted, her inner voice chiding, “Im a Homewrecker” delivered in jest. The music video directed by Vera’s brother Albert River cleanly expands on those themes. Set around the Athfield house and office. Neatly embedded into the Khandallah hillside. Two Wellington gems colliding in style, what’s not to love? — Maggie Tweedie, Radio Active 88.6FM Breakfast Host, Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington
‘Mibu’ – Oddish
With their second home-recorded EP of 2022 Ebb: Pōneke’s Oddish are keeping me satiated with their blend of ambient psych instrumental goodness. ‘Mibu’ reeled me in with wistful bendy guitars, delicate bass chords, tight but playful drums and a drone-y toy keyboard to boot. Sometimes we need to tap out and let the music wash over us — Oddish helped me to do that this week. — Josh Dominikovich, Radio Active 88.6FM Breakfast Producer, Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington
‘chickpea’ – ABG
ABG’s bar is low EP dropped last month and it’s been on heavy rotation at my house. The opener ‘chickpea’ is the moody heater to to end all moody heaters. Boasting some seriously naughty bass, fire breaks and THE Faith Evans sample this track is locked and loaded. — Josh Dominikovich, Radio Active 88.6FM Breakfast Producer, Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington
‘One Moment Please’ – First Move
Another offering from the tone gods via the epic First Move, Unleashing the question we all ask ourselves sometimes. Maybe you’ll never know? — Jordan Kupe, Radio Control 99.4FM Breakfast Host, Te Papaioea / Palmerston North
‘Isolation’ (prod. Welcomer) – Skymning
An introspective piece from this amazing producer from the lakeside village of Tūrangi, With layers of emotion tangible from the first listen, produced by Tweemo companion Miles of Welcomer! — Jordan Kupe, Radio Control 99.4FM Breakfast Host, Te Papaioea / Palmerston North
‘ILYSM’ – Samara Alofa
Tāmaki based world-weaver Samara Alofa is back with a lilting and percussive new single ‘ILYSM’. The track is another example of Alofa’s impressive ability to play with ethereal and unsettling sounds while still, somewhat conversely, managing to retain a grounded warmth at the music’s core. Simply stunning! — Rachel Ashby, 95bFM Breakfast Host, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland
‘C’est Chic’ – Amamelia
Hot on the heels of a raft of SRN award nominations for 2022, Amamelia returns today with her brand new album Bananamelia! Bright, bonkers, and beautiful, the record feels like an early celebration of the summer to come. Amelia Berry’s obsessive attention to detail serves the album spectacularly well in both concept and execution. Designed to loop from the final track seamlessly back to the start, the record is truly a non-stop good time. — Rachel Ashby, 95bFM Breakfast Host, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland
‘Song From a Crystal Cave’ – Kraus
Kraus has been absolutely non-stop gifting our ears with projects recently, and I’m definitely going to be getting my hands on his brand new album Fire! Water! Air! Kraus! All the beep boops your heart desires. Personal fave off the LP is the sneaky and fun number ‘Song From a Crystal Cave’. — Zoë Larsen Cumming, 95bFM Breakfast Producer, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland
‘Lemon Drop’ feat. imugi 이무기 – Dbldbl
I’m very predictably obsessed with the new DblDbl track ‘Lemon Drop’ featuring none other than imugi 이무기. It 100% oozes cool with lyrics that cut you to shreds and then put you back together, and beats that drive you forward until it’s over all too quickly! Definitely check out the music video too. — Zoë Larsen Cumming, 95bFM Breakfast Producer, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland
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