New Music Review - ‘Incomplete’ by Simon Hirst
The cover art for Incomplete! Releasing next week. This was shot in Raglan during the middle of winter, what a trooper!
Photography by Arie Stokes.
Hamilton based father and musician, Simon Hirst is always looking for his next song to write and is due to release a newbie track on the 31st July called Incomplete. Simon has been pumping the gas with his constant creation of new tunes and is even looking to release his debut album later this year, which I am personally really looking forward to hearing!
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I got a sneaky listen of the new single - a fantastic song with a really moving meaning behind it. Incomplete tugs at the heartstrings and gives you a glimpse inside of Simon’s fantastic mind. So, what is the song about, you’re probably wondering. Don’t worry - I’ve got you covered with that! Si has written a little blurb on what the story tells -
“It’s sort of about someone struggling with self-worth and regrets. The character in the song is a girl, but it’s really meant for anyone who has not felt good enough for any number of reasons. It’s about a beauty that I believe goes deeper than the skin and is more important. Acknowledging that we are all broken in some way but finding the beauty in things that are often deeper than our fragile and cracked exteriors.”
Absolutely beautiful and relatable words there, Si. Thank you for sharing such a deep and personal meaning with the world.
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So, what do I personally think of the track? Well, first of all, it reels in brilliance and truth with the way it all comes together - it seems that the lyrics and the music are meant to connect in the right way and Si has certainly achieved that form of excellent combination right from the get go. The beat of the music make it a highly likeable solid pop song that you will appreciate if you’re into pop music (however, I do recommend to everyone, no matter your favourite genre!). The vocals echoing make it a cool experience near the start of the song, it gives it that nice balance.
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A beautifully melodic experience, Incomplete takes you through the motions of being on that journey to find what you love about yourself, even if you have that feeling of not thinking that you can be any more than a beaten down person in life - we are all more than what we think about ourselves and Incomplete shouts that out to the world. I think that everyone has patches through their lives where they feel this way, but there are a lot of things that we can do to make ourselves less incomplete, pardon the pun there.
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Incomplete definitely deserves airtime when it comes out next week - it is so relaxed and even the artwork is a standout attraction to this single. As you can see, Si is floating in the sea, it could hold many meanings, but to me, it’s like hitting a refresh button when you are feeling as described above. Give it a whirl and make sure to click the follow button on all of Si’s socials and Spotify for more up-to-date information on when the album is going to drop.
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You can find Simon on the below platforms and don’t forget to keep your eyes open for this track on release day next week -
Music Review - ‘Dance the Part’ by Judah Kelley
Loving the chalk vibes on the artwork for the single of Dance the Part! Unsure who curated the artwork for this, however they did a fantastic job.
Well, I’m definitely a little late to the table with this review, however, I recently heard this song that was released in April and knew that it had to be reviewed on Welcome to the Gig!
While Judah hasn’t yet racked up a whole lot of monthly listeners on Spotify, she is already serving up dishes of beautifully smooth tracks that show off her vocals in all aspects.
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Having performed both with national and international artists, this lady is about to set the fire and show us what the music world for females is going to look like in years to come.
Dance the Part gives me the vibe of the movie, Anastasia, which I watched on repeat as a kid and looked up to the main character as much as a child can look up to a cartoon. Judah’s voice makes you feel that you’re in that setting - wandering the streets of Paris, dancing and singing, letting your voice steal the show. A magical feeling.
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What I love about the track is that it opens with a few seconds of luxurious piano and for some reason or another, adding a piano into the song makes it all the more amazing than it already is. As soon as Judah starts to sing, you know that the song is going to be a special one.
Dance the Part tugs at the heartstrings with soulful lyrics such as the opening line, sung with true passion and grace -
“broken hearts still love, mending what was lost, breathe into the lungs of a hopeful frightened one”
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Judah has the potential to be New Zealand’s answer to Lea Michele musically - both powerhouse females who are setting out to do what they do best and prove it to the world with their incredible releases.
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An absolutely stunning song that you need to add to your playlist for those days where you just need to sit and think. I highly recommend and love this song.
Keep up the amazing work, Judah! Can’t wait to see your next move.
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Find Judah below -
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If you would like to be featured, or know of any Kiwi musicians that you would love to see featured on the blog in a review/interview, make sure to get in touch with me on Instagram here!
New Music Review - ‘Outerworlds' EP, Lunar Intruder
The beautiful illustration of art was created by the amazing Riley Hewett once again!
Welcome to phase two of the Lunar Intruder world and what a phase it is to be pulled into!
Outerworlds is the latest EP release from my good friends, Lunar Intruder, which was released today and it is an absolute cracker. Cam, Matt, Tom and Matt - what have you done because my mind has taken a complete detour all day to listen to your outstanding new music! It honestly feels like these four cannot do anything wrong. It is definitely different to their first release of Solar Hangover, nearly a year ago and I LOVE it.
In Outerworlds, you can hear that the band have found their ultimate Lunar Intruder sound, which is what their aim was - they are continuously evolving through the universe to find what feels like them, experimenting with different sounds and playing around with mixes they may not have thought of previously.
This perfectly crafted release is going to take you to the next level and make you froth. So, sit back and get ready for a review of the EP, broken down track by track (all opinions are my own and not what the songs necessarily are about, so you will need to form your own opinions about them!)
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Far From Shore: The opening track to Outerworlds and rightly so - this song truly sets the scene of what is to come musically on this fresh off the press release. It is a very subtle song, with good elements of the instruments being played and it has catchy lyrics that you for sure will be singing for quite some time. Far From Shore opens with a sweet guitar solo and we don’t have to wait too long for Cam to start telling us a story with the track. Now, I'm not the type of person to really visualize a setting with songs, but with this one, each time while listening to it, I can see two people literally far from shore who have lost their way together, maybe indicating that their relationship/friendship has gone awry. One of them is trying to row both back to safety, but the other just doesn’t seem interested in repairing the brokenness of the “ship", if you will. You'll understand my explanation once you hear the song itself!
Angel: A classic Lunar track. This time around, the drums are what makes the song slide into what it is and I thoroughly enjoy that about Lunar's music, the introduction to each song is nowhere near the same as the last. Angel gets everybody going at Lunar gigs - one I know that the boys are still obsessed with because it is just a stand out song and deserves a lot more attention than it gets. It's a little more upbeat than Far From Shore and has a lot more to offer in terms of the different elements that you can hear. The strong vocals really drive this song upwards, with an extraordinary meaning that we have, or will all, feel about someone in our lives at some point. A really beautiful song.
Outerworlds: Definitely my favourite track off the EP. For today, anyway. The song has a very smooth vibe to it, however can we talk about the guitar riff?! It is probably the most standout part for me - oosh. Yes. Outerworlds is a fun, definitive indie-rock song that will genuinely take you to a whole other place, full of cosmos. It gives me a very Surfing on Mars by Mako Road feeling, but in a Lunar type way (and yes, that is a compliment!). Nailed it with this one, guys. This would be a fantastic song to blast with mates on a nice sunny weekend afternoon and have a beer or two while listening to it in the backyard. (Sorry, neighbours!)
Lotus: Oh, damn am I excited about finally hearing the recorded version of this one! Lotus has been played a couple of times live and it is very funky. This would make a great song to be performed at a festival, I can just see them playing somewhere like Bay Dreams and this one being an absolute smash hit. Are you obsessed yet? No? Well, take another listen, because what a banger.
Lucid Dream: Mild Orange. That is who I automatically think of when the song starts - the intro genuinely reminds me of them and though it doesn’t carry on with the MO sound and brings in their own unique vibe, it's a real smooth run the whole way and genuinely a great song through and through. Very easy to listen to.
Ready to Know: I actually have already done a review on this song when it dropped a month or so ago as a single, you can check that out here.
Dizzy: The boys have been hyping this song up for quite some time and it doesn’t disappoint - yet another chilled out, catchy track that you could just pop on your car radio and drive for hours with this on repeat. Alternatively, do yourself a favour, start driving to your favourite place and once you're there or close to, hit the play button. You're not going to regret it. Dizzy is a very calming song for the closing of the EP and it's special. When I tell you that these four know how to put songs in order on a release, they just KNOW. Nearly six beautiful minutes of leaning back and feeling like you've got no responsibilities in life. Love that. A fresh, sweet sound for your ears. Best served with a stunning sunset.
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Outerworlds is an EP like no other and I challenge you to find your favourite song off it, bet you it will change tomorrow. I am so unbelieveably blown away with this release that I cannot literally think of any more adjectives to finish off this review apart from “amazing” and a real step up for the lads.
The EP is out on all good music streaming platforms now. Make sure to give it a whirl!
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For more Lunar Intruder, check out our fun interview here and keep an eye out on their socials as these boys are onto big things and have a lot more in the works for us to devour!
New Music Review - ‘Who’s to Say’ by Retro Valley
The sickest artwork!
Retro Valley are exactly what their band name claims they are - retro. Hailing from Hamilton, these five have a lot to say and some great messaging behind their newest single, Who’s to Say, which was released on the 1st July.
Retro Valley describe themselves as “five sad bois”, but I personally feel that their music tells stories beyond just being sad and opens up a whole world of different ideas and thoughts.
I had the chance to speak to Ben, the lead singer of Retro Valley, to get the low down on the new song, followed by a review of the track and my take on it!
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“Who’s to Say basically is about average life things that get us down,” Ben explains. “While they may be insignificant, they for some reason make us feel like it’s the end of the world.”
“It also has a theme about clothes. Clothes in the song is just a metaphor for our coping mechanisms that we wear on our sleeves [like the old saying goes “you wear your heart on your sleeve”]. At the end of the day, who’s to say it’s the end of the line. When the sun comes up, we’re still dressed up anyway. We are ready for what’s to come.”
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The song is particularly relatable and will appeal to people of all ages with the lyrics being a good way to look at life - it won’t always be perfect, however, as Retro Valley promote through their music and stellar attitudes, they try and handle each challenge like the champs they are. We can’t let people dictate our lives, making us feel insignificant when the likelihood is that we most likely will not feel the same way we once did later on down the line, so in reality, we can’t let it affect us too much in the present time.
Who's to Say really embodies that through and through, which is quite special.
The track opens with some punk/rock/pop vibes that takes me back to the 2000s and if you weren’t around then, you missed out on some really great bands from that era (you should go chuck some on - Simple Plan, 30 Seconds to Mars, etc. though each band has their own unique sound, it transports me back) and while I can’t 100% put my finger on which musicians that Retro Valley remind me of, the song itself certainly offers up feelings of being in my early to mid teens once again and everyone loves a throwback in their music tastes, right?
“I tried 17 times to text and call you” ouch. It sounds like a bit of heartbreak may have occurred during this time - unfortunately, this is something that we all have to deal with in life, however, it goes on to bring about more positive vibes as you keep listening and truly proves there is always a silver lining in every situation, even if you can’t find it at the time.
My favourite lyrics from the song are “sticks and stones may rip my clothes, but who’s to say, it’s the end of the line” - certainly putting a great spin on things there, boys.
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Give Who’s to Say a listen now and add it to your playlist - turn it up and dance!
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Find Retro Valley on Spotify and social media below:
New Music Review - ‘Ready to Know’ by Lunar Intruder
The beautiful artwork was created by Riley Hewett.
Ready to Know is out now on all streaming platforms, released 11th June 2021.
Lunar Intruder are an up and coming band formed in Christchurch, New Zealand on a whim via a Facebook post that was whipped up, seeking members for a new band. The band describes their sound as having a “summer haze” sound, which is a new term they have penned and it describes them perfectly.
Band members -
Cam Buyers - Vocals, guitar
Matt Genet - Bass
Matt Earle - Guitar
Tom Spillane - Drums
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The Lunar Intruder lads are here to bring us to our knees once again with a smashing new single, Ready to Know, which is bound to get stuck in your head for days, if not for the next month, however, it does come with a heavier meaning than you may be able to imagine from the first listen.
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Following hot off the heels of their previous release, Angel, this new single is sure to absolutely blow your socks off with the melodic vibes and the soulful lyrics.
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Ready to Know is one of the most powerful singles that Lunar Intruder have released to date - it comes with a different vibe to their first EP, Solar Hangover (July 2020), and will get you thinking on another level that will transport you to a different time within the 4 minutes and 29 seconds.
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Lunar Intruder are made up of four friendly spacemen, as they like to call themselves, in their early 20s, yet with the maturity they put out there with their music, you would think that they have had much more life experience beyond their 20 something years.
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According to the band, this can be a hard song to talk about - however, put simply, Ready to Know is about the obsession of the future that lies ahead of you - which is something we are constantly all thinking about, whether you’re in your early 20s, or even in your 80s. Our brains never stop thinking about what the future holds for us and as the guys describe, everyone in their lives faces a point where they have an image of the person they may become in the future and sometimes that image isn’t an image that we would be proud of. The lyrics “I’m ready to know” may speak to a lot of individuals in different ways, so it would be up to you to determine how this relates to you personally.
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The song starts with musical egg shakers played by Matt G, bringing a different sound to the introduction, you can hear these being mixed in throughout the entire track, which adds a beautiful feel to it.
When Cam starts singing, it is extremely emotional, with the first line of lyrics being “do you believe that your fate is sealed? ‘Cause I'm starting to accept my fears”
Wow. Just wow. Words really fail me on those lyrics.
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Every element of each instrument being played in Ready to Know shines through at some point in the song, the guitar work that Matt E and Cam do are perfectly on point and while Tom doesn’t need to go hard on the drums in this song, it still adds in that touch of magic to make it what it is.
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The artwork is also another point to bring up, it is stunning. It shows someone on the beach, with what I interpret as a moment of what they would hope to be a bit of peace from society and their brain. The swirling colours of visualization on Spotify that Lunar Intruder have uploaded represents the future and the world going on around them, while these fears are seemingly coming true. It also seems to represent that no matter what, you can change the colours of your future, no matter how you feel about it/what you see yourself becoming. This is my personal take on the visual artwork anyway.
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Ready to Know will simultaneously take a piece of your heart and replace it with a part that is stronger than before and that is what makes this song so special. Don’t be afraid of changing who you are and taking a different direction to evolve for the better if you are able to take control over that.
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After listening to the song 14 times since it was released at midnight, it really got into my feels and there has been a lot of thinking for hours beyond the first time hearing the recorded version. To say I am obsessed would be an understatement. I would advise that you give this song a spin as you may very well fall in love with it, too!
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You can find Lunar Intruder on the web -