New Music Friday is here again and we’ve got five new releases we think you should hear, including a few of our favourite artists! Fans of Iron & Wine, St. Vincent and Pet Shop Boys, rejoice! The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda picks these five new releases for your consideration: St. Vincent: All Born Screaming (Virgin) This is Annie Clark’s seventh album and her first that is self-produced. Guests include Josh Freese, Dave Grohl, Mark Guiliana and Cate Le Bon “There are some places, emotionally, that you can only get to by taking the long walk into the woods alone—to find out what your he ..read more

Tāmaki Makaurau-based neo-soul band Psycho Gab have today released their lush sophomore single Gabben and here are two of them to perform it live at The 13th Floor. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda welcomed vocalist Rosetta Stone and producer/pianist Caleb Wong up to the studio to perform this exclusive acoustic version of the band’s new single, Gabben, released today. Watch the interview to learn more about Psycho Gab and enjoy the performance, then check out the studio version below: Following the group’s successful 2023 debut ‘Messy’ (Radio One, 95bFM, Muzic.net), and a year of electric ..read more

Anna Coddington (Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Te Arawa) returns with the new single, Kātuarehe. The track is the first taste of a new album from Coddington, which is set for release to coincide with Matariki this year, an occasion marking the Māori new year. Here’s the blurb with more: Kātuarehe, meaning “to be outstanding, marvelous” in English, lays down the blueprint for Coddington’s new album. The track and album both move effortlessly from te reo Māori to English, bringing a sound which Coddington herself dubbed “Māori funk”. Pushing further forward the playf ..read more

A last minute venue change landed Chris Isaak and his band at the more intimate Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre here in Auckland as Chris and the band closed out their tour in style. And there was plenty of style on display as Isaak was sporting his iconic “suit made of sparkles” a blue spangled Nudie Suit no doubt worn in tribute to The King himself. More on that later on. Mel Parsons It was our own Mel Parsons who got the evening going with a solo set at 7pm precisely. The lights in the venue were still up and fans were still filing in, yet Mel turned in a 30 minute set featuring faves like Offer Do ..read more

Destroy All Lines in association with One Fiinix Live are proud to announce that UK artist JP COOPER is coming to New Zealand to perform one show only this coming November as part of his 2024 World Tour. S JP Cooper is set to perform in New Zealand on the following date: AUCKLAND TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER POWERSTATION Tickets On-Sale Friday 26th April At 10:00am NZST Available from www.destroyalllines.com #thegreateststory For more information, go to destroyalllines.com Tickets On-Sale Friday 26th April At 10:00am NZST Available from www.destroyalllines.com #thegreateststory For more information ..read more

Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) is proud to announce the winner of the prestigious 2024 Taite Music Prize at an exclusive ceremony held at the Q Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau. The event celebrated outstanding New Zealand albums released in the previous calendar year and showcased exceptional local talent across genres. Pippa Ryan-Kidd of IMNZ set the tone of the night with an inspiring opening speech, “IMNZ are always immensely proud to produce an Award Ceremony that reflects creativity and puts artistic talent at the very core of the event. We hope that awarding musicians for creativity an ..read more

Challengers is another stunningly sensual addition to Luca Guadagnino’s remarkable oeuvre. The 13th Floor’s Thomas Giblin elaborates. Starring: Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist Tennis is remarkably dull. So is golf, Formula 1 and all those other sports reserved for brats born with silver spoons in their mouths. It’s fitting that Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, who has stated that he finds tennis “boring”, has teased out its exhilarating eroticism. Two men, with beads of sweat dripping down their toned muscular bodies, are hunched over their rackets. They stand across from each ..read more

Aotearoa electronica artist Frau Knotz has today released her first single of 2024, the enigmatic and enchanting new track ‘Odyssey I’. Here is the blurb with more: Following the success of her 2023 singles ‘Runway of Reality’ and ‘Cellular’, today’s release puts on full display Frau Knotz’s drive to consistently push boundaries. An ethereal and mysterious piece, ‘Odyssey I’ showcases what Frau Knotz does best; emotive storytelling through vocal performance amongst unchartered sonic realms. A detuned 5-note piano figure emerges from the ocean’s depths to expose a hushed, gorgeous vocal, each ..read more

Claire Rousay has just released sentiment, a collection of compositions and field recordings that finds the ambient improvisor breaking new musical ground. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Claire, who was home in LA, waiting for sentiment to “drop”. The album is Claire’s first for the Thrill Jockey label and seems like a match made in heaven. Tune in as we discuss the making of sentiment along with Indie Rock Dads, Nico, Jeff Tweedy and performing at the Flow Festival with Blur.    The post Claire Rousay Talks About sentiment and Being a “Lifer” (Interview) first appeared on T ..read more

Beth Orton finally made back to Auckland, 10 years later, and 6 months delayed with her November show at the Powerstation finally happening in April. Orton last graced New Zealand stages back in 2013, performing at Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral in May of 2013, but long-time fans, like yours truly, will remember her set at The Big Day Out in 2000 at Ericsson Stadium. This time around Orton turned The Powerstation into a place of worship and the faithful showed up…it was a sell-out. Even on this chilly autumn evening Beth kept us waiting. The lights went down at about 9:12pm, but it was a f ..read more