Everything is Peaceful Love
by Bon Iver
Swirling pedal-steel guitars and squelching synthesizers aren’t usually heard together in the same track, but such is Bon Iver/Justin Vernon’s latest. While the sound and Vernon’s vocal can suggest Prince in a time-warp collaboration with The Band, it’s a very happy marriage and as joyous as its title suggests. A new album due in early April. – Russell Baillie
The Sun Doesn’t Shine
by Sola Rosa, Joe Probert
Having now racked up 25 years of refined, genre-blending grooves, Sola Rosa (Auckland studio wiz Andrew Spraggon) heads to the first new album in five years with this infectious big swish of electro-soul driven by the personality-plus vocal of Bristol import Joe Probert. – Russell Baillie
Nature of Love
By Makayla
Signed to Six60′s label and the opening act on the band’s Grassroots tour last year, the young Hawkes Bay singer offers a sunny day-dreamy slice of R’n’B-pop on this track co-written by Matiu Walters. Makalya’s airy voice is nicely offset by what sounds like a full barbecue of blokes on backing vocals. – Russell Baillie
Just So Lame
by Aubrie Mitchell
A local singer well connected: this airy but percussively clever, self-produced pop ballad was mixed by Jeremie Inhabler (Post Malone, Megan Trainer) and mastered by Chris Gehringer (Drake, Dua Lipa). Mitchell neatly understates, it’s melodically strong, her production keeps it spacious and the whole thing – when coupled with two previous singles – suggests an emerging talent along the R’n’B axis. - Graham Reid
The Night Before
by The Black Keys
The Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney team up with Nashville professional songwriter Daniel Tashian for a straight-ahead, beat-driven slice of slightly soulful power pop which breaks no new ground but delivers the requisite pleasures when it hits the chorus. – Graham Reid
Supernova
by 1 Drop Nation, Laughton Kora
Even before Laughton Kora turns up as guest vocalist, this track by Christchurch group might remind some of his old band, Kora with its punchy guitar-scorched funk-rock a departure from 1 Drop Nation’s reggae leanings. Should give them a higher gear when they play at the Electric Avenue festival in their hometown on February 21. – Russell Baillie
Family Affair Questlove Rhythm King Edit
by Sly & The Family Stone
Multihyphenate American musician, producer, and author Questlove has directed his third music documentary – Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) about Sly Stone, of Sly & The Family Stone. Its soundtrack has a few alternate mixes and do-overs including this, a drum-machine-assisted retooling of Family Affair. – Russell Baillie
Lisurgen
By People of the Sun
While the name might suggest a reggae band or a Rage Against the Machine covers act, People of the Sun are a Taranaki psychedelic rock band, a trio of seasoned musicians. The band’s first single stretches to eight heroic, surging minutes without default to verse-chorus structure. Some of it has definite grunge era echoes, but it’s an impressively epic ride all the same. – Russell Baillie
Temptress
by Gina Malcolm
Former TV journalist Leanne Malcolm appears reborn as Gina and straps on the leather ‘n’ leopard-skin for a gritty, driving single (paired with the more interesting, weirdly swampy and bluesy Knee Deep produced by Adam Hattaway). Aimed at hard rock radio. Feminine power unleashed. – Graham Reid
Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Sonata Op.77, ‘Omaggio a Boccherini’, IV, Vivo ed Energico
by Marcelo Kayath guitar
Oh, to have that talent. In the 1980s, a young guitarist called Marcelo Kayath won a bunch of important competitions, released a handful of acclaimed albums, gave some concerts. With rock steady technique and sensitive musicality, Kayath was poised to be the next big thing in the guitar world. Then he disappeared. Except he didn’t. He earnt an MBA from an ivy league college and embarked upon a career in business; he was recently to be found working as a managing director for Credit Suisse, a successful businessman but a loss to music – other than one unexpected hurrah. In 2016 Kayath released his first album in a quarter century. Techniques had swept past him in the intervening years, but the musicality was still there, and you can find my favourite version of Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s fiendish Sonata Op.77. The work is subtitled ‘Omaggio a Boccherini’, in honour of the Italian composer whose 282nd birthday falls on February 19. Happy birthday, Luigi! – Richard Betts
