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The Sampler headlines with summaries.
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The Sampler: Beyoncé, Feign Jima, Tali
6 Aug 2022Tony Stamp sifts through the maelstrom of responses to Beyoncé's latest, discovers a new Melbourne singer called Feign Jima, and checks out the 8th album from NZ's queen of drum n bass, Tali.
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The Sampler: Lunavela, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, JayWood
30 Jul 2022Tony Stamp engages with Auckland musician Lunavela’s scathingly honest indie rock, joke-filled dance floor cuts from French/ Belgian duo Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, and Canadian JayWood’s breezy…
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The Sampler: László Reynolds, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Maria Chiara Argirò
23 Jul 2022Tony Stamp reviews an exploration of Uralic languages by Auckland musician László Reynolds, the easy-going guitar jams on Aussie band Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever's 4th offering, and jazz pianist…
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The Sampler - Te Kahureremoa, Ben Woods, Moor Mother
16 Jul 2022Tony Stamp explores a mix of taonga pūoro and electronic sounds on the debut of Pōneke’s Te Kahureremoa, a second album of Antipodean gothic from Ōtautahi’s Ben Woods, and an exploration of jazz’s…
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The Sampler: Naima Bock, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Jet Jaguar
9 Jul 2022Tony Stamp peruses the pastoral folk of Naima Bock, a pivot into rowdy pop from Hurray for the Riff Raff, and new aural landscapes courtesy of Wellington producer Jet Jaguar.
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The Sampler: Bartees Strange, Yaya Bey, Shabaka
2 Jul 2022Tony Stamp explores the second stadium-sized album from Oklahoma rocker Bartees Strange, a diaristic debut LP by RnB musician Yaya Bey, and some forest-set freeform jazz courtesy of Shabaka.
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The Sampler: Nilüfer Yanya, Popstrangers, Yves Jarvis
18 Jun 2022Tony Stamp is enamoured by London singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya's second album, checks out the return of noisy expats Popstrangers, and and grapples with Canadian weirdo Yves Jarvis.
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The Sampler - Band of Horses, Asta Rangu, Wilma Vritra
11 Jun 2022Tony Stamp reviews the latest album from indie-twang favourites Band of Horses, the debut of Dunedin band Asta Rangu, and a beautifully orchestrated hip hop record by duo Wilma Vritra.
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The Sampler: Spiritualized, Wiri Donna, Koloah
28 May 2022Tony Stamp parses the ninth album by UK space-rock maximalists Spiritualized; a second EP from Poneke's Wiri Donna that's much louder than her first; and an ambient selection made by Ukrainian…
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The Sampler: The Smile, Ibeyi, Silas Futura
21 May 2022Tony Stamp reviews the Radiohead side project The Smile, an album about The Egyptian Book of the Dead by Afro-Cuban/ French sisters Ibeyi, and a pair of loose, experimental EPs from Tāmaki R&B…
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The Sampler: Te Kaahu, Horace Andy, Girls Against Boys
14 May 2022Tony Stamp points his taringa at the gorgeous debut from Te Kaahu, reggae legend Horace Andy's team-up with equally legendary producer Adrian Sherwood, and a nineties oddity by post-hardcore band…
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The Sampler: Kae Tempest, Ry Cooder & Taj Mahal, SR Mpofu
7 May 2022Tony Stamp reviews the latest from British poet and musician Kae Tempest, and several new instalments from Tāmaki beatmaker SR Mpofu, while Elliott Childs assesses the reunion of legendary singers/…
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The Sampler: Koffee, Best Bets, Widowspeak
30 Apr 2022Tony Stamp delves into the debut of burgeoning reggae superstar Koffee, an acerbic collection of rock anthems from Ōtautahi band Best Bets, and the impossibly cool sound of New York natives…
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The Sampler: Jenny Hval, Ibibio Sound Machine
9 Apr 2022Tony Stamp tackles Norwegian musician Jenny Hval’s latest collection of poetic musings; and the new album by London’s Ibibio Sound Machine, which continues their marriage of Nigerian lyrics with…
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The Sampler: Aldous Harding, Sunreturn, Syl Johnson
2 Apr 2022Tony Stamp reviews the latest album by theatrical folk maverick Aldous Harding, a wildly diverse array of talent on the first compilation from Auckland label Sunreturn, and a selection of sixties soul…
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The Sampler: Rosalía, Mousey, Eden Ahbez
26 Mar 2022Tony Stamp takes on the experimental pop behemoth that is Spanish pop star Rosalía’s third album, a second helping of emotional indie rock from Christchurch’s Mousey, and a serving of exotica from…
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The Sampler: Tears For Fears, Benny Salvador, Blair Parkes
18 Mar 2022Tony Stamp inspects the first album in eighteen years from UK synth pop heavyweights Tears For Fears, an acid jazz-tinged EP by teenage Wellington producer Benny Salvador, and the latest long-player…
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The Sampler: Big Thief, David Long, Betty Davis
12 Mar 2022Tony Stamp reviews a lengthy new album by prolific folk-rockers Big Thief, an experimental set from Mutton Bird-turned-screen-composer David Long, and takes a look back at the second album by…
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The Sampler: Spoon, Deadforest, Erin Rae
26 Feb 2022Tony Stamp reacts to the latest record in Spoon's thirty year rock career, the debut album by Manurewa rapper Deadforest, and a country-adjacent collection from Nashville's Erin Rae.
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The Sampler: The Weeknd, Erny Belle, Animal Collective
19 Feb 2022Tony Stamp reviews a blockbuster concept album by Canadian pop star The Weeknd, smooth songs with spiky lyrics from Tāmaki Makaurau/ Maungaturoto songwriter Erny Belle, and the return of mid-2000s…
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The Sampler: Black Country, New Road; Karl Steven; Mitski
12 Feb 2022Tony Stamp treats his ears to a trend-bucking second album by UK whizz-kids Black Country, New Road; the solo debut of Supergroove frontman and award-winning screen composer Karl Steven; and a…
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The Sampler: Curtis Harding, Beach House, Phodiso
5 Feb 2022Tony Stamp absorbs a record about caring by American soul maestro Curtis Harding, a drip-fed double album by dream-pop luminaries Beach House, and the latest high energy outing from local hip-hop…
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The Sampler: Julien Dyne, Cat Power, Orlando Weeks
29 Jan 2022Tony Stamp begins the year with local dance-fusion courtesy of drummer and producer Julien Dyne, a third album of covers from the eccentric Chan Marshall AKA Cat Power, and a stripped back celebration…
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The Sampler: Best Reissues of 2021
28 Dec 2021Tony Stamp looks back at some of his favourite reissued albums and archival compilations of 2021, including Japanese ambient, West African funk, grunge icons and more.
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