19 July 2024 - 0 Comments

PONZ is the creative moniker of Lauren Pondes (she/her), a producer, vocalist and DJ based in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Since her debut in 2020 on Fragments with Ōtautahi duo Pirapus, PONZ has collaborated with drum and bass artists from all over New Zealand, notably Stay With Me with Repair and Ben Shaw (which was featured on UKF).

When she’s not songwriting or producing, PONZ can be found DJing with her international contemporaries Netsky, Hybrid Minds, Camo & Krooked and Dimension. She’s a mainstay on Aotearoa’s summer festival line-ups, making appearances at Bay Dreams, Rolling Meadows, Soundsplash, Mardi Gras, Listen In, and Our House. 2024 has been a banner year, with PONZ releasing her debut EP Can We Go Back (the four tracks racking up nearly 100k streams in as many months) and beginning her monthly residency on UK's Kool FM (former London pirate radio station that now broadcasts online, playing jungle, drum and bass, and old skool).

Today PONZ has released her latest single Fantasies, which sees her explore new sounds, expanding to include UKG and House music.

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Written while in a Covid delirium, Fantasies plays with the idea of meeting someone through what feels like destiny, and deciding to live in the moment. The track’s liquid breaks underpin the dark and dreamy synth pads and PONZ's hushed vocal delivery.

“When I started writing Fantasies I was focusing on painting a story and making the lyrics very visual,” says Pondes. “As soon as I completed the verse and begun the production phase, Ben and I added in the plucks which you can hear throughout the song. Once they were in there everything else melted into place and the song came together super naturally.”

“I recorded Fantasies with my good friend and producer Ben Hollamby (Pirapus). We’ve been working on and off together since 2020, our two flats became super close at uni, he actually introduced me to drum and bass and encouraged me to start PONZ! Ben’s involvement really brought my ideas for Fantasies to life. Initially, the vocals were also sung with a much more intense delivery, but Ben really encouraged the soft delivery which set the track on a beautiful trajectory.”

Fantasies sees PONZ begin to refine and redefine her output, seeking new sound palates to explore. “Over the last 12 months the signature sound of PONZ has really developed to focus around nostalgic, pop-inspired electronic music. Fantasies is my first song that isn't a straight drum and bass track and the expansion was definitely something that I've been wanting to do for a while. My own personal taste has contributed to the new direction and the desire to not only make music for the rave but also for listening to in a more relaxed setting.”

Photo Credit: Jared Tinetti

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