These days it's not unusual to see, and indeed expect, a high level of songwriting craft and instrumental skill from younger or less experienced bands. Debut recordings now tend to be polished and well-crafted affairs. Skin, the debut EP from Palmerston North's Pining Radiata, is very much indicative of this trend of strong opening statements.

Skin captures a band that has a solid ensemble awareness, and a key understanding about how to handle dynamics collectively. This is a band in a very real sense- musicians who have invested in interacting with each other in real time to hone a homogenous sound. The clarity and straightforward approach to the recording and production of Skin means that the band's live sound is suitably articulated. From the opening track Burning there follows a collection of polished and road-worthy- indeed road-tested-songs. The mood and feel of live performance is a strong feature of this EP, and one gets a clear sense that Pining Radiata has most certainly put in the hours to get where they are.

Its guitar- based music: carefully framing Maeve Egan's breathy vocal tone for the classic combination of melancholy, vulnerability and power that characterised the sound of the Shoegaze genre- along the way evoking some of the great 4AD bands of yore ( Throwing Muses in particular). Listen to the end of In My Eyes for the twin vocal approach of Egan’s and Cass Dollery-Signal’s voices. This is definitely an approach this band should explore further. The work of Michael McKeagg (guitar) and Josh Finegan (drums) remains supportive and sensitive throughout.

There is some clever and assured writing here, too. Burning has the requisite dynamic balance leading into a suitably powerful chorus - an ideal set opener if ever there was one. The rest of the EP is shaped like a live set, with the ‘closer’ of the aforementioned In My Eyes working perfectly in this regard.

Pinus Radiata are touring from the rest of 2024, and with such a polished, emotionally intense and well honed sound, these shows would certainly be worth seeing. The next steps are also going to be worth paying attention too, for even though this EP represents a sound and songwriting that is fully formed, clearly this is a band with ambition and the kind of work ethic to realise it.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  Devilskin
• 8
  Coridian
• 9
  The Boondocks
• 10
  Late to Chelsea

• 
  LOST BiRD @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Just Janie @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Dream Chambers @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024
• 
  The Phoenix Foundation @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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