Salad Boys - Dream Date (video)

Salad Boys sounds like the name of a mid 00's group with electro Indie leanings, in the vein of CSS, Deerhoof, Black Kids, or VHS or Beta. In reality these New Zealanders are a bunch of jangle wranglers, with a refreshing bit fuzz (think more Yuck, than Beach Fossils.) Dream Date is a poppy romp through the woods, with lumbering vocals and a thicket of precise guitar lines. Its like Thin Lizzy meets REM, by way of The Bats. Its New Zealand lumberwave, ya dig?

Yumi Zouma - Alena

New Zealand Soft Pop conduits, Yumi Zouma, explore a danicer realm with their latest single, Alena. The fluttering guitar lines are not so much abandon, as they are put to the side here, while room is made for some swollen string patches and bouncy piano chords. Its very easy on the ears and reminds me a little of Air France. Elements of House, Disco, and Dream Pop are stewed together in this crock:

Popstrangers - Country Kills

Kiwi based Jangle-glammers, shake it up a bit with this taste of 3chord fuzz. Almost like a more Alt version of Clientele or a more guitar driven Big Pink, Popstrangers prove they're actually NOT strangers to Pop (LOL!). Country Kills is the type of jam you bob your head from left to right to, until the chorus hits and it suddenly becomes a much more up and down sort of affair. Dude, just trust me on this one:

Yumi Zouma - The Brae

Twinkling Dream Pop by way of New Zealand, Yumi Zouma serve up a healthy portion of Twee casserole, with The Brae. Reminiscent of early Wild Nothing, Talulah Gosh, and more recently Pure Bathing Culture, this a track that jangles with echoy guitar and balearic vocal harmonies. Are you super into bay window seat cushions? Do you have a strong affinity for all things paisley? Do vintage hairbrushes have a special place in your heart? And is watching the film Blow Up a weekly routine of yours? Well this is clearly a tune for you:

Shocking Pinks - Not Gambling

Possibly one of the best acts to ever come out New Zealand, Shocking Pinks ends his legendary 6 year break to bring us the first single from his upcoming 3CD LP. Recognizably sad-sack, lofi, post-punk is sort of Nick Harte's go to sound and Not Gambling is a trip down familiarity lane, except its also not. Harte constructs a deconstructed jimble jamble of sounds that Shockingly morphs into a pop-hook halfway through. If you're new to SP you might be like, bro this is kind of bogus.. but let me point you to some old tracks that may sway your opin. Check this and check the oldies and if you still hate it, then I'm seriously sorry, man.