Here is a list of songs that I think are interesting, alternative, and worth listening to. Since moving to Wellington in 2018, I’ve become aware of some great music, both old and new, hence my list is focused mainly on artists who originate from Wellington, and a few other places.
– Sonya Waters
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Walk Away – Jay Clarkson
I love everything about this song, from the thin-sounding drum machine to the deep, rich quality of Jay Clarkson’s voice and nuanced performance. The entire composition exudes an unpretentious elegance. It’s classy and poetic. The wonderfully minimal guitar and bass parts contribute to the song’s intimate style and fragile quality. Jay’s guitar playing and sound are uniquely her own as they interweave with her vocal line. Just the right amount of guitar distortion to add a bit of understated edge. Lyrically, the message is conveyed without any unnecessary drama or embellishment. It feels as though Jay is sharing a plain truth with a loved one, or warning herself not to get involved with this person again. One of my favourite lyrics: “All his friends are made of cardboard”.
All Things Will Stay Silent – David Long
When I first discovered David Long’s current work, I was pleased that older artists were still creating music that felt relevant, inspiring, and fresh. This song is eloquently composed and performed by Long and a small orchestral group of Wellington musicians. The opening guitar passage is long but wonderfully restrained. Then, a nice orchestral touch, when the other instruments enter altogether, with a mysterious-sounding, Middle Eastern mode. The subtle melodies invoke images of the desert and the optical illusion of a mirage. The flute, clarinet, and horns are perfectly balanced in their parts, and soft female vocals chant the title towards the end. Careful mixing has helped this interesting blend of electric guitar and orchestral instruments to shine. The music is delicate and exquisite, but still feels fresh. A great piece to calm your nerves and keep you thinking.
Tick Tock – Aldous Harding
It was hard to pick my favourite song by Aldous Harding because I love all her songs. She is an original talent with a wonderfully eccentric writing style and an unusually acrobatic voice. Her vocal range is broad in pitch and restrained in emotion. Her delivery sounds as if she is saying something amusing and ironic. Set against the unconventional vocals, the instruments are quite classic: acoustic guitar, drums, and bass provide spare, precise accompaniment that highlights Harding’s imaginative singing. Everything is light and folksy, with little in the way of effects, and it all works together. What a gift! ‘Tick Tock’ is a song with numerous vocal melodies, ideas, and rhythms. It might be about being recognised in public, responding to social media comments, or talking to her mother. I’m not totally sure. In the end, it doesn't matter. All the parts are mixed up as one beautiful song that works perfectly.
1.1 – Jonny Marks
It’s great that there exists an artist in New Zealand who would dare to experiment with Tuvan throat singing and electronics. (The three Mongolian Tuvan styles are meant to symbolise and reflect the sounds of nature, including wind, mountains, and water. ) This song was recorded live and is an exploration of slowly unfolding resonances between a synthesiser and the human voice. Listening to this music takes patience and time. It’s nice to sit back and allow the vibrating frequencies and playful interactions to wash over you.
Trapdoors – Orchestra of Spheres
Sometimes a band comes along that feels very different from other groups around it. The music made by the talented people in the Orchestra of Spheres cleverly crosses boundaries between world music, jazz, and krautrock. Male/female vocals, stream of consciousness lyrics, commenting on the boundaries of mind, modern life, and love make this track an interesting mashup. The Spheres don’t seem to care about musical trends or radio format hits. They make highly original, punchy, percussive music that sounds effortless and amazing.
What’s Going On – Fetus Productions
There’s a great siren sound at the start that makes this piece immediately recognisable. Merging a lot of different elements can often not work out, but somehow this piece by Fetus Productions ends up as a cool “spiritual” song about love. Having a minimal riff on a flutey synth sound, before the louder, effected guitars burst in, gives this song a powerful chorus. This song has it all. A short bridge transforms the whole thing momentarily before the chorus and synth come back in. There’s even an outro. Possibly influenced by The Beatles in their psychedelic phase. With synths, guitars, drums, spoken word, singing, and a siren. Gotta love this as an accomplished piece of songwriting and arranging. An inspired masterpiece.
I Want to be Your Girlfriend – Bachelorette
This song has a great grinding groove, and the lyrics always make me smile. I think an artist singing about cooking someone breakfast in the morning seems so banal and funny, but we’ve all done it. And making out on the mixing desk, she could be singing about her own life. I’m not sure if the making out is physical or in their heads as a great collaboration on the mixing desk. Annabel Alpers is clever and cool. She writes a catchy tune. I love her vintage electronic sounds and gorgeous layered vocals. I’m not sure what happened to her after rebranding herself as Hammerkop? Wherever she is, I hope she comes back soon.
Don’t Let Anyone – Cassette
Back in the 2000s every time I heard this song, it would stay in my mind for days afterward. Lyrically sincere, a simple but beautifully executed song, languidly played by a band with great talent. A timeless masterpiece. It seemed like a fan favourite, and at gigs, whenever the song started, people would flood onto the dance floor to sway and wobble around. Cassette was a much-revered Wellington band around in the noughties and felt like one of the leaders in New Zealand’s alt-country scene. I recently attended a birthday party where Cassette played a few songs from back in the day. When ‘Don’t Let Anyone’ started up, most of the people in the room migrated onto the dancefloor area. It had the usual effect on me. Once again, I was humming it for days.
Pulsing – The Body Electric
It seems as if Wellington’s music scene has always had a penchant for electronics. While most bands in the 80s seemed to be thrashing on guitars or using synthesisers to add a bit of depth with a string sound, or playing a lead riff instead of the guitarist. The Body Electric was one of the few bands that was using electronics as a key component to a song. Lyrics about pulsing and electrodes seemed more like sonic art than band music. The vocal delivery had a slightly humorous bent, perhaps influenced by Kraftwerk in their spoken-word style, which I liked. When I first heard this track in the 80s, it seemed a world away from the kind of music I was used to hearing around Auckland. But as the decade progressed, there were new wave artists emerging around Auckland such as Car Crash Set and Danse Macabre, and as mentioned above, Fetus Productions and others were mixing guitars with electronic sounds. Internationally, post-punks such as Gary Numan and Talking Heads were experimenting with electronically influenced albums too. And others like Laurie Spiegel and Tangerine Dream were going full on electronic. Looking back now, The Body Electric seemed ahead of its time.
One is Always Heading Somewhere – Womb
Being a fan of ethereal dream pop music has its downside. It’s hard to find the good stuff in New Zealand, apart from the occasional artist who is willing to dare to work outside the box. Womb is a three-piece band making wonderfully understated music that sounds like a bigger band, but I guess the Cocteau Twins did too. This lovely magisterial song is artfully put together without becoming too puffed up. The synth, strings, and guitar are tastefully understated, and the “loose” feel of the drums keeps everything together without busy fills. There’s a nice mix of electric and acoustic instruments here. I’m grateful that gorgeous songs like this exist in the world of popular music.
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Sonya Waters initially made her mark as lead singer of legendary punk-ska group The Instigators. She has also been in (just to name a few bands) Fang, White Swan Black Swan, and avoid!avoid, performed at both Sweetwaters and Glastonbury, and been part of London’s squat rock and San Francisco’s alt-rock scenes. Moving to Wellington to do an MMA (Master of Musical Arts) degree, she currently composes ambient music, including her 2021 project These Sheltering Ranges, inspired by the capital’s fierce weather.