This week Tony is joined by the host of The Sampler Nick Bollinger, and sonic artist and RNZ studio operator Flo Wilson, to bring you six brand new tunes.
Cut Off Your Hands - Blue Smoke Draft
Nick: "At first I was a bit taken aback - there's this bright, disco-y mood that the thing has, and then you realise it's a song about talking to your grandfather on his death bed. Very personal, but with this bubbly rhythmic thing going on. It's a strange thing to be dancing to, I suppose".
Sylvan Esso - Frequency
Flo: "What I expected was something that moved off and went absolutely chockas with the bass and drums, but it stayed restrained. I was sorry when it ended, I was like 'I want the drop, give me the drop!'"
Pacific Heights - The Weight Of It
Tony: "It's a combination of so many sounds that I like, and the beat has that magical quality, it's so in the pocket... I was listening to it at my desk and doing that grimace, like 'ooof!'"
Flo: "Bass face!"
Teebs – WLTA
Nick: "He's creating a little environment, and you just live in it for a bit. You're not waiting for those events that you get in a song, like a hook or a chorus. It's sort of pop ambient music".
Kathy Bates Motel – Cool Your Heels
Tony: "I was really taken with Morgan Leary's voice - possibly more so on their prior single 'Damaged Goods', which was this really bruised sort of ballad. For me the biggest reference musically here was Backspacer, the second album from [KBM songwriter] Joe Lonie's former band Supergroove.
serpentwithfeet - A Comma
Flo: "Josiah Wise is known for his unique singing style, which he calls 'Black classical'. He developed it while singing in Black choirs growing up in Baltimore. The way he sings is unlike anything else I've heard. I can't think of another singer who manages the types of vocal melisma - those really quick runs - like he does."
