James Milne, aka Lawrence, Arabia adds an orchestral manoeuvre to his latest album, reports Lydia Jenkin.

The late, great New Zealand music journalist Dylan Taite put his body on the line to get a scoop, going above and beyond to secure classic interviews with the likes of Bob Marley, Lou Reed and the Sex Pistols.

The Bats' previous two albums (2005's National Grid and 2009's The Guilty Office) went largely unnoticed but this one arrives with a tailwind.

Mr D-a-double-l-a-s may have a cool and mellow nonchalance to his rhymes, and the production and beats are first rate, but his sophomore album The Rose Tint tells Dallas' story.

In complete contrast to Jeremy Toy's work as Opensouls soul-funk monster songwriter and guitarist, She's So Rad is his dreamy, electronic, fuzz-laden solo project, his first outing as a vocalist too, with contributions from Sami Sister Anji.

Though there was always an inviting pop side to the Mint Chicks, what made their music most striking was the volatile and often violent outbursts that took the songs to a more intense and interesting level.

Auckland-based Hollie Fullbrook spins a delicate web of warm, but wintry stories on her debut album, Some Were Meant For Sea.

Hip-hop soul diva Ladi6 beat out some noisy punks, a chart-topping electro pop band and a record made up of bird songs to win the second Taite Music Prize for best album.

The finalists for the second Taite Music Prize - a trophy with a cash award given in memory of music journalist Dylan Taite and judged on artistic merit regardless of sales - are out.

The eight albums short-listed for the second annual Taite Music Prize - which judge New Zealand albums on nothing but artistic merit.

The awards, in memory of music journalist Dylan Taite, will take place in Auckland on April 20th.

Rating: 4/5 Verdict: Second album from hip-hop soul diva looks to the future

Rating: 4/5 Verdict: No wonder Jack White was impressed

Rating: 5/5 Verdict: Forget the hype. It's real.

Three years and multiple solo albums from most of its membership later, The Phoenix Foundation have reconvened to explore some more.

Rating: 4/5 Verdict: A feast of originality for high-brow indie kids

Five New Zealand albums are vying for a new music prize named in honour of the late Dylan Taite - one of the country's most respected music journalists.