Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Reviewed by Jono Ryan

The debut album from local island crew Nesian Mystic has upset the competitive Christmas market this year, rapidly soaring to number one on NZ charts. Building on the success of other recent 'Nesian' releases (Che Fu, P-Money), their sales have left Robbie Williams and his peers in the dust. Made up of equal parts NZ hiphop, R'n'B, and fresh island humour, 'Polysaturated' is everything the title suggests, with strong Polynesian flavours throughout. While some tracks comment on funnier aspects of everyday life in Aotearoa, many offer informed perspectives on critical issues in our multicultural society. 'Polysaturated' is a superb debut, uplifting both musically and lyrically, and certainly deserves its top placing on our charts. (Don't forget the Presbyterian connection through group members Feleti Strickson-Pua and Junior Rikiau both of Newton PIC. Rev Mua Strickson-Pua can be heard reading his poetry on track 15!)

Reviewed by Jono Ryan

This year's Parachute Festival introduces a number of new international faces to the Mainstage. Sifting through their respective recordings, I'm picking Superchic[k] as the band to see. Their latest release 'Last One Picked' is all I've had to go on, but their pop-polished combo of ska, punk and funk has all the key ingredients of an energetic and entertaining live act. The 'chicks' are lead vocalist Tricia and guitarist/vocalist Melissa, with a solid crew of boys in the back row. This includes band founder Max, who cuts in the tidy samples, beats and scratches that keep the band grooving. Their insightful ditties on boys, girls, school, and the merits of developing crushes on movie stars will keep you smiling, and their performance should be well worth attending.