A Girl Named Mo has a special Christmas gift up her sleeves. The electronic/R&B act will release a live album this Friday via Bandcamp and iTunes.
Live at Bats (Platonic/Romantic) was recorded at six sold-out shows at the Wellington theatre.
"It's an electronic live album, which is a bit of an oxymoron," says Moana Ete.
"I remembered to listen to Erykah Badu's Live album heading into the live recording at Bats. I really love her relationship with the audience. She just chills with them and over time, I listen and hang on her every word. I love that album and I really wanted to relax with my audience like she does.
"Love songs are almost always about romantic love. About heartbreak and cheating and marriage, and it's only real love if it's physical and consummated type stuff. I'm just not always about that.
"Some of the most rewarding and important love stories for me are ones that don't include any of that, but just straight up, pure, platonic love. I guess the whole idea is what if platonic and romantic are just one in the same thing?"
Drax Project have released a new single ahead of their summer shows.
So Lost is a soulful piece of late-night summer pop-electronica.
The Wellington four-piece recently contributed to the Bob Marley tribute album stir it up with a "casual gospel, R&B" cover of Turn Your Lights Down Low.
Drax Project
The band played in Auckland at the weekend and will head to Waihi Beach on January 3 before hitting Soundsplash at Raglan on January 20.
Tami Neilson is giving away a free download as a Christmas gift to her fans.
Neilson recorded Sit Down Servant at Jack White's Third Man Records while in Nashville recently.
The song is a tribute to her idol Mavis Staples, and was recorded in a 1947 "Voice-o-Graph" booth previously used by White, Willie Nelson and Neil Young, who recorded his A Letter Home album in the booth with just a guitar.
The booth records up to two minutes of audio and dispenses a 6-inch acetate. Visit tamineilson.bandcamp.com to check it out.
SoundBites Extra:
Singer-songwriter Scarlett Eden, from Hawke's Bay.
The Cape Estate Secret Garden Party takes place this Monday, Boxing Day, at the Hawke's Bay Venue.
Acts performing will include Cheeky Kids, Chucky Taylor, Eastern Bloc, Jonny Avery, Mahana, Raiza Biza, Sam Moore, Scarlett Eden, Silk Puppets, Villette, Wally and Zereda.
The first time at Cape Estate, it's hoped the event will become an annual fixture on the Hawke's Bay calendar.
