Soundscapes and mournful vocals

Local musical trio, Death and the Maiden, have released their latest album, Uneven Ground. You can stream it, download it or buy the CD.

As an ancient Dunedin resident, the group’s name reminds me of the famous song by local heroes The Verlaines, but in this case the name is inspired by the very dark and disturbing art of Norwegian artist, Edward Munch.

The poignant artistic concept of an evil creature, resembling death, and a virginal maiden, resembling purity, goes right back into the Renaissance and is an apt metaphor for the group’s deep and thoughtful music.

This productive trio, who’ve been around since about 2012, have previously released two albums, Death and the Maiden and Wisteria. Lucinda King is the main vocalist and song writer, with Hope Robertson (ex Snapper, Bad Sav, Birdation) on guitar and Danny Brady (ex Snapper, Thought Creature) playing the role of Dunedin’s own Brian Eno, producing a rich collage of beats and strange sounds behind Lucinda’s mournful but caressing vocals.

This nine-song album reminds me a bit of some of Alison Goldfrapp’s work, and, closer to home, some of Dermania Lloyd’s music with local groups Mink and Cloudboy.

If none of this means anything to you, think the music behind the original series of David Lynch’s TV series Twin Peaks.

The album

• Single Leanest Cut is on YouTube

• Uneven Ground is available as a CD, on vinyl and digital download.

ONE SMALL LEAP

Young local singer song-writer Keira Wallace,17, has just released their latest single, Leap/Landing.

Music is a longtime passion for Keira, beginning when they picked up the guitar at age 11.

They credit the support of Taieri College’s strong music department and local youth music/mentoring programme Amped with helping them to envisage a possible future as a professional musician.

"Ōtepoti is a supportive place to be a young performing artist, filled with opportunities and initiatives," they say.

This very personal song embodies the notion of emotional recovery and the people who helped Keira reach the place they are at today.

At just 16, Keira was the youngest APRA AMCOS NZ SongHubs attendee, which are run by leading members of the country’s music industry, and this song was created in just seven hours at SongHubs Ōtepoti in November 2022.

Keira was lead song-writer and co-writers Calla Knudson and Tinayeishe Zimba contributing their musical expertise, alongside the guiding hand of producer Abigail Knudson.

Keira travelled to Auckland in May 2023 to finish the recording with Abigail at Parachute Studio.

Keira is something of a prodigy, recently placing first at the Otago Smokefree Rockquest final in the solo/duo category.

The single

• Keira Wallace’s single Leaping/Landing is on YouTube

MAKING PROGRESS

Ivy are an up and coming local progressive rock band playing original music, made up of Jesse Hanan (vocals, rhythm guitar), James Axton (lead guitar), Connor Cooper (bass), Ocean Wilson (drums) and Louis Stevenson on violin.

Since the release of their debut alt-pop single Stranger in 2022, Ivy have directed their focus towards darker, more complex and brooding tones, a little bit reminiscent of the early Radiohead.

Their change in direction is shown in their single Heartless, which was named in Australian entertainment magazine, Happy Mag’s top eight songs from New Zealand music month in May 2023.

Later that year, the band won OUSA’s Bring the Noise competition and recently they recorded at the world-class Sublime Studios, in Kurow, during a South Island tour.

The band has been announced on the lineup of Queenstown’s Snow Machine Festival for September 2024 and they have a brand new single called Real Love coming out soon on July 26.