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The Sampler headlines with summaries.
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The Sampler: Best Standalone Singles of 2021
1 Jan 2022Tony Stamp looks back at some of his favourite singles of 2021 - specifically, ones that didn't appear on any albums. Te reo Maori psychedelia, dance floor bangers, and even a few Christmas songs were…
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The Sampler: Best International Albums of 2021
18 Dec 2021Tony Stamp looks back at some of his favourite international albums of 2021, including UK soul, Scottish post-rock, American folk songs about movies, and more.
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The Sampler: Best local albums of 2021
11 Dec 2021Tony Stamp looks back at some of his favourite local releases of 2021, including summery beats, bedroom pop, Dunedin legends, and dance floor bangers.
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The Sampler: French For Rabbits, Jason Isbell, FABLE
4 Dec 2021Tony Stamp marvels at the new album by Whanganui-a-Tara folk outfit French for Rabbits, and a deeply spiritual EP from anonymous South Auckland artist FABLE, while Elliott Childs assesses a…
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The Sampler: The War on Drugs, Courtney Barnett, Nightmares on Wax
27 Nov 2021Tony Stamp explores the new album by retro-rockers The War on Drugs, a stripped back set of lockdown songs from Aussie wit Courtney Barnett, and trip-hop kingpin Nightmares on Wax's latest guest-heavy…
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The Sampler: Tori Amos, Snail Mail, Skymning
20 Nov 2021Tony Stamp rummages through Tori Amos' nature-inspired sixteenth album, guitar-pop wunderkind Snail Mail's second, and an electronic tribute to a lost friend by Tāmaki producer Skymning.
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The Sampler: Chaii, Parquet Courts, Alec Bathgate
13 Nov 2021Tony Stamp mulls over the second EP by Iranian-NZ rapper Chaii, a dance-influenced outing from NYC rockers Parquet Courts, and Alec Bathgate's 1996 solo debut.
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The Sampler: Leaping Tiger, Hand Habits, Starflyer 59
6 Nov 2021Tony Stamp locks ears with Auckland producer Leaping Tiger's sophomore album, folk artist Hand Habits' expansive new work, and the sixteenth long player by indie stalwarts Starflyer 59.
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The Sampler: Luke Buda, BADBADNOTGOOD, Remi Wolf
23 Oct 2021Tony Stamp investigates Luke Buda from The Phoenix Foundation’s third solo album, a nostalgic collection by Canadian jazz-futurists BADBADNOTGOOD, and the debut of Californian funk-pop misfit Remi…
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The Sampler: Christoph el' Truento, Amyl & The Sniffers, Andy Shauf
16 Oct 2021Tony Stamp delves into a summery sample collage from Tāmaki Makaurau beat-maker Christoph el' Truento, the fearsome second album by Melbourne punk rockers Amyl & The Sniffers, and a collection of…
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The Sampler - Mia Doi Todd, Vera Ellen, Nite Jewel
9 Oct 2021Tony Stamp merges his bubble with the expansive new album from Japanese-American folk singer Mia Doi Todd, Wellington-via-Los Angeles musician Vera Ellen's Flying Nun debut, and the minimal synth…
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The Sampler: Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine, deepState, Torres
2 Oct 2021Tony Stamp delves into a movie-themed collaboration between American singer-songwriters Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine, two dance floor-focused EPs from Tāmaki producer deepState, and an…
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The Sampler: Jordan Rakei, Cleo Sol, Steve Gunn
25 Sep 2021Tony Stamp explores the new album by NZ-born, London-based neo-soul adventurer Jordan Rakei, a blissed out collection about motherhood from UK singer Cleo Sol, and guitar-slinger Steve Gunn's latest…
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The Sampler: Little Simz, Mā, Low
18 Sep 2021Tony Stamp samples the bombastic new album by ‘Britain’s greatest rapper’ Little Simz, a concept album about waking up from Wellington singer Mā, and indie stalwarts Low take their sonic adventuring…
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The Sampler: Big Red Machine, quickly, quickly, Sulfate
11 Sep 2021Tony Stamp surveys new albums from the Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (The National) project Big Red Machine, 21yr old beat-maker turned singer-songwriter wunderkind quickly, quickly, and…
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The Sampler: Halsey, Fat Freddy's Drop, No Romance
4 Sep 2021Tony Stamp is impressed by Halsey’s mix of pop and industrial, luxuriates in new soundscapes courtesy of Fat Freddy’s Drop, and swings his hips to two-thirds-Kiwi Berlin-based band No Romance.
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The Sampler: Charlotte Day Wilson, Joy Orbison, Adelaide Cara
28 Aug 2021On The Sampler this week Tony Stamp attempts to stave off cabin fever by checking out three debut albums - one from Canadian soul singer Charlotte Day Wilson, one from UK dance producer Joy Orbison…
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The Sampler: Joan Armatrading, Tkay Maidza, Phoebe Rings
21 Aug 2021Tony Stamp has a lockdown listen to UK music legend Joan Armatrading’s twentieth album, the third EP in a series by Zimbabwe-born, Australia-raised, LA-based hip hop musician Tkay Maidza, and the…
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The Sampler: Billie Eilish, Yola, Bobby Gillespie & Jehnny Beth
14 Aug 2021Tony Stamp reports back on the second album by bedroom pop artist and global superstar Billie Eilish, Brixton by-way-of Nashville musician Yola’s blend of soul and country, and a collaboration between…
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The Sampler: Dave, Darkside, Twin Shadow
31 Jul 2021Tony Stamp directs his ears toward the second album by Mercury Prize-winning Brit rapper Dave, the follow-up to an acclaimed collaboration between dance music producer Nicolas Jaar and psychedelic…
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The Sampler: Anthonie Tonnon, Onono, Grawlixes
24 Jul 2021Tony Stamp shares his perspective on Anthonie Tonnon's marriage of music and political musings, the shiny pop of Onono's debut, and Wellington five-piece Grawlixes' beautiful songs about wanting to…
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The Sampler: The Goon Sax, Mustafa, Lips
17 Jul 2021Tony Stamp reviews the third album by Aussie up-and-comers The Goon Sax, a heartbreaking collection of 'inner city folk music' from Canadian singer Mustafa, and the long awaited debut album of local…
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The Sampler: Lucy Dacus, Faye Webster, Greentea Peng
10 Jul 2021Tony Stamp analyses Lucy Dacus' nostalgic, detail-heavy new album, the country-soul hybrid found on Faye Webster's fourth outing, and Greentea Peng's debut cocktail of beats and mysticism.
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The Sampler: Troy Kingi, Sault, Womb
3 Jul 2021Tony Stamp comes to grips with Troy Kingi's excursion into folk music (in collaboration with Delaney Davidson), the fifth release in just two years from UK soul merchants SAULT, and the Flying Nun…
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