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Album of the Week: Arcade Fire – WE

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE

A plethora of really great releases this week made choosing this week’s Album of the Week pretty challenging – we’ll have to enjoy some of the others over the next few weeks. Arcade Fire are really on form with this release, with Pitchfork echoing the critical consensus as the band “pivots back to a more melodic, sincere, and effortful style, attempting once again to find a genuine connection”.

Album of the Week: Hatchie – Giving The World Away

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE

We first enjoyed Hatchie’s talented dream-pop on her 2018 EP Sugar and Spice and her new release advances her talent without losing her special style. Heather Phare wrote in AllMusic that “The singer/songwriter’s second album introduces more mature songwriting and touches of acid house and trip-hop to her ultra-catchy dream pop.” We look forward to checking out the talented Brisbanian’s album this week.

Album of the Week: Jewel – Freewheelin’ Woman

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm

I loved Jewel’s early albums back in the 1990s, a talented woman who made beautiful melodic modern folk. She has had an interesting journey since then including having millions of dollars stolen by her by her mother. She is back in style here in a “bright cheerful bit of self-empowerment” according to AllMusic. We look forward to featuring it this week!

Album of the Week: Omar Apollo – Ivory

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE

Omar Apollo has been releasing music for a couple of years, but this album should be his breakthrough. The Apple Music Up Next artist has an incredible voice, crooning his way through a diverse album, a “collection of gorgeous, sultry songs that content with the angst of feeling like you’re the only person who is truly awake and alive in an otherwise sleepy world” (NME‘s pretty portentious review!). We look forward to listening to these silky numbers this week.

Album of the Week: Maren Morris – Humble Quest

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at https://tunein.com/radio/New-Zealand-Net-Radio-s305138/

Maren Morris is adept at blending pop and country elements, her ultimate example being the now-classic single “The Middle”. Her third album has met with acclaim, a solid set of songs exploring her life in a relatable way. She reflects on some tough times (postnatal depression, the loss of her collaborator Busbee and COVID19 isolation) but pleasingly doesn’t let these overwhelm the album. AllMusic described it as “openhearted and reflective”. We look forward to exploring the album this week.

Album of the Week: Elton John – Diamonds

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at https://tunein.com/radio/New-Zealand-Net-Radio-s305138/

We usually highlight new music in our Album of the Week slot, but Elton John just turned 75, and he’s an absolute legend! So this week we’ll enjoy some selections from his latest greatest hits package, Diamonds (the 3CD Deluxe edition). The first CD I bought back in 1994 was “The Very Best of Elton John” but this latest package was worth getting with a really comprehensive selection of great music.

Album of the Week: Yumi Zouma – Present Tense

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at https://tunein.com/radio/New-Zealand-Net-Radio-s305138/

Great to have two Kiwi albums in a row in our Album of the Week slot. This week one of our long term favs return. Yumi Zouma have expanded their sound by adding some new instrumentation, while still keeping with their chill melodic sound. We’ve been playing a couple of the singles which are really solid for a while (“Where the Light Used to Lay” and Ïn the Eyes of Our Love”) but each track is a little treasure.

Album of the Week: BENEE – Lychee

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at https://tunein.com/radio/New-Zealand-Net-Radio-s305138/

We’ve been enjoying BENEE’s distinctive music for a couple of years, every track sounding very Kiwi, as though made for a Saturday afternoon at the beach. Her new EP is no exception – our highlight is “Never Ending” with its delicious buildup.

Album of the Week: JP Cooper – SHE

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at https://tunein.com/radio/New-Zealand-Net-Radio-s305138/

Its hard not to like JP Cooper. The British singer-songwriter did the hard yards for a number of years before ‘making it’ back in around 2016 with “September Song”. This is a polished collection of songs, his second album. It consists of multiple discs, the main album proper accompanied by a ‘Gospel’ set and an acoustic set on the third disc. All are beautiful, with “Holy Water”, “Radio” and “We Cry” standouts for us. Look forward to listening to these this week.