Imani-J: The Aotearoa Afropop Star Defying Expectations (Interview)

Imani-J’s debut EP EXPECTATIONS, released in September 2025, catapulted the 17-year-old singer-songwriter as the next rising star leaving her mark on Aotearoa and beyond. As its title suggests, the project’s five tracks each speak to varying experiences with expectations, whether that be expectations set for herself, general underlying societal expectations placed on young New Zealanders…

Jim Legxacy returns with new single and music video, ‘idk idk’

Last year, British artist Jim Legxacy released black british music, an eclectic, critically acclaimed album putting him at the forefront of the next generation of artists pushing forward UK hip-hop and beyond with his wide-ranging, genre-defying sound. Now, the artist has dropped his first new music since black british music, new single ‘idk idk’. While…

Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE announce NZ show, share second single from collab album, ‘Leadbelly’

Earlier this month, underground rap veterans Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE announced their forthcoming collaborative album with NYC producer collective SURF GANG, releasing lead double single ‘EARTH // MINTY ‘. Now, the cult-favourite longtime collaborators have dropped  ‘Leadbelly’, the next single from double LP POMPEII // UTILITY ahead of it’s release on April 3rd. The new release…

RAYE embodies resilience on latest single from new album, ‘Click Clack Symphony’

Following hit singles ‘Where Is My Husband!’ and ‘Nightingale Lane’, UK singer-songwriter RAYE has shared ‘Click Clack Symphony’, the latest single taken from the dynamic artists highly anticipated sophomore album, This Music May Contain Hope, due for release on March 27th. Featuring acclaimed composer Hans Zimmer, on ‘Click Clack Symphony’ RAYE’s transcendent vocals soar over…

underscores soundtracks liminal spaces on hyperactive third album, U 

Off the back of singles ‘Tell Me (U Want It), ‘Music’ and ‘Do It’, US electronic-pop artist underscores has shared her third album, U, following fishmonger (2021) and Wallsocket (2023).  Since the release of her debut album Wallsocket, underscores’ genre-defying artistry has become a key figure in the underground electronic-pop world, lending production and vocals…

Nima Astria & Smurgy join forces as boyracer, drop high-charged debut single ‘God is The DJ’

Tāmaki Makaurau artists Nima Astria and Smurgy have both been carving out their own boundary-pushing spaces in Aotearoa’s underground experimental electronic world, and now the close collaborators have joined forces as a new producer/singer-songwriter duo side project, boyracer. Today, they’ve unveiling their debut single, ‘God is The DJ’, via the NYMPHO label.  With additional production…