22 year-old drummer, singer and karate-proficient Zowie (aka Zoe Fleury), comes armed with the electronic, metronomic and perfectly styled Broken Machine. Composed by Zowie and Justyn Pilbrow (Elemeno P) the track is a creative force, paving the way for “a tiny dynamo of electrifying, positive energy”. Zowie majored in drumming at MAINZ institute, and then mastered the art of sequencing and programming, as featured on Broken Machine. The accompanying video is just as inspired, with direction from Auckland studio Special Problems. Next month Zowie heads to New York for the CMJ Music Marathon.

Handclaps, horns and hip-hop beats underpin a winning formula for Kimbra’s delicious new single Settle Down. Produced by Francois Tetaz, Kimbra began creating her debut album with “hints of this and that” and diverse influences such as Jeff Buckley, The Mars Volta and Bjork. Kimbra established her burgeoning reputation by winning Best Female Artist at the national Rockquest finals in 2003. After leaving school and moving to Australia, she was signed to Melbourne-based management company Forum 5. On a creative journey for the past two years, Kimbra has recorded in Australia and the US. Settle Down includes a delightful music video produced by Guy Franklin.

From Indie darlings at the top of the student radio chart to pop champions at the top of the NZ Singles chart with Young Blood (Kiwi Hit Disc 127), this has been a momentous year for Auckland-based five-piece The Naked and Famous. This month, it’s celebrations all round with the release of their debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You, brand new single Punching In A Dream and a nomination for the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award. Punching In A Dream has all the hit elements, including a transcending chorus and a sculptured electronic whitewash. This month The Naked and Famous also appear at the Big Sound Festival in Brisbane.

Together they’ve created hits such as Lilly Allen’s Smile, as well as chart-toppers for Shakira and Kelly Rowland and now they’re the collaborative force behind singer Annabel Fay. For the past two years, Darren Lewis and Tunde Babalola of Future Cut have been collaborating with Annabel on her sophomore album set for release through Siren Records. Her first single River sparkles with a pop sheen and is recorded by Clint Murphy and produced by Future Cut and Greg Haver (Opshop). Taking her around the globe to write and record, Annabel Fay was recently spotted in Cuba shooting the music video for River.

It’s Nobody Else but Rikki Morris and Matt Harvey from Concord Dawn on the stonking new single Forever, taken from the upcoming release The Enemy Within. The duo of Evan Short and Matt Harvey became one in 2008 after Evan struggled to find time amongst his growing engineering, mixing and mastering roles. Matt Harvey has enlisted a plethora of vocal talent on the new album, including Thomas Oliver, Paul McLaney, as well as guests Bulletproof and Rido. Back from his new hometown of Vienna, Concord Dawn will tour the country this month in anticipation of The Enemy Within release September 20th.

Just how The Earlybirds started all those years ago still gets a laugh from bassist Jared Aisher, “It was chaos” he insists, “We were playing in bars where people were so close they were actually touching our strings!” These days their diehard fans still attend the shows, but thankfully both audiences and stages are bigger. In May, the band supported the feelers on their nationwide tour. Signing a deal with Warner Music earlier in the year, The Earlybirds released their long-awaited debut album Favourite Fears on August 23rd. Low is the band’s fourth single to radio/TV following the most recent I Can’t Live Without You (Kiwi Hit Disc 126).

Since the release of Anika Moa’s previous single Love Me Again (Kiwi Hit Disc 127), downtime has been scarce. In July, she raised $7,000 for Womens Refuge auctioning off a lifetime of concert tickets and merchandise. Last month Anika was nominated for an APRA Silver Scroll Award for her single Running Through The Fire (Kiwi Hit Disc 124). This month, Love In Motion is released across the Tasman on EMI Music Australia. Third single Blame It On The Rain is her most emotive yet. It’s written about someone Anika “Will never ever name because they will be really, really sad if they knew”.

Weight Of Tomorrow is Jonny Love’s lead single from his new album Courage, recorded at Modern World Studios in Tetbury, UK. “I wanted to move away from my singer/songwriter roots and as the title suggests, do something brave” explains Jonny, who first tasted the limelight with Not The First, Not The Last (Kiwi Hit Disc 101). Peaking at #7 in the Top 10 NZ Airplay chart that single was followed by his self-titled debut album in 2008. Pairing once more with producer Greg Haver (Opshop), Jonny was joined in the studio by Ben Rive (bass), Gemma Russell (synths), Daragh Anderson (guitars) and Greg Haver (drums). Courage will be released through Limelight Records.

Bursting onto the music scene in 1999 with debut album Mix, Stellar launched five hit singles into the charts, won eight NZ Music Awards, and followed up with tours around Australia, the UK and Germany. Their third and final album Something Like Strangers was released in 2006, and with it the band announced they’d be heading their separate ways. Lead-singer Boh Runga released her solo album last year, but this year the band re-emerged from the studio with So Alive. The single will headline The Very Best Of Stellar to be released by Sony Music this month. Catch the four-piece live for the very last time in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in October.

The aptly named On The Road Again hints towards a considerable year for the all-gigging globe-trotters, Katchafire. They’ve played 100s of shows around the US, Canada and Australia including last months’ nationwide Grass Roots tour. On The Road again is also the title track of their October-scheduled fourth album, written, recorded and squeezed into the busy schedule, with engineer/producer Nic Manders. After 14 years of playing and writing together, Katchafire don’t dilly-dally in the studio, “Cant wait to finish this project and get it out there to the people!” they profess. Joining Tiki Taane and Ladi6 this month, Katchafire will be testing out their new tracks at the Cairns Reggaetown Festival.

99 A.D, Nesian Mystik’s fourth album adds another string to their collective bows; the fourth to reach the Top 20 Album chart, specifically #9 on its debut in July. Add to that eleven Top 10 singles, two NZ Music Awards, and a Silver Scroll award, this is a career to be proud of. However, with the release of 99 A.D, Nesian Mystik have also declared this to be their last album. “We have achieved so much”, confides lead vocalist Awa Reeder, “it’s hard to believe we are still some of the youngest in the industry!” Fresh Boyz, Nesian Mystik’s fourth single sees them sharing the mic with MC Scribe.

The North Shore Pony Club last featured on a Kiwi Hit Disc with their formidable remake of the Misex classic, Computer Games (Kiwi Hit Disc 79). That single created a global stir for the two producers Matt Loefe and Aaron Clapton, including airplay on BBC’s Radio One and video play on MTV UK & MTV Europe. The duo has performed aside Peter Hook (New Order) and Kasabian, as well as local juggernauts Concord Dawn and State Of Mind. Granted Music Video funding for Sex, Drugs & A Drum Machine, the ponies will be hoping this track starts the international ball rolling once more.

When a band has just two singles and begins to abbreviate its name, that is most definitely the plus sign of popularity. And so we have JATS, aka The Jury & The Saints with Help Me Out, marking the second series of grants from NZ On Air, receiving a New Recording Artist grant in March this year. JATS have supported Paramore, are booked for General Fiasco and recently finished a 21-date nationwide tour Although just two: Jesse Smith of Streetwise Scarlet fame and Goodnight Nurse’s drummer Rowan Crowe, they create the illusion of many more. JATS’s debut album is due out soon.

Confidently strutting into the music scene with her racy debut single Red Lips (Kiwi Hit Disc 124), Auckland singer/songwriter Hanna Grace returns with the horn-covered Hush Now. With jazz roots and a bold soul voice Hanna Grace’s songs are well suited to her more stripped-back arrangements. Hush Now was written in a moment of frenzy, “I was actually having an argument with a friend at the time when the melody hit, so I grabbed a bottle of wine, called Phil and away we went”. Producer/guitarist Phil Stoodley is co-writer of Red Lips and Hush Now and together with Hanna, is putting in the long studio hours for the completion of her debut album.

Seven years into their ferociously energetic career, Die! Die! Die! release the melodically distorted Wasted Lands from acclaimed third album Form. Joined with The Coolies’ Tina Pihema, Wasted Lands comes hot on the heels of an extensive 25-date nationwide album release tour. Form charged into the Top 20 Album chart last month, and continues to reap 5-star acclaim in the music press. “On Form,” The NZ Herald Time Out writes, “Die! Die! Die! have come up with a warmer, more melodic record that rings in your ears rather than attacking and spitting into them”. Die! Die! Die! are Andrew Wilson, Michael Prain and Lachlan Anderson.