Deep, dark intonations from New Zealand/Aotearoa songwriter Michael James Keane. ‘Inside‘ starts off with Keane sounding like a summit meeting between Ian Curtis, Graeme Jefferies, Nick Cave and Jack Ladder before the band arrives and the intimacy is dissipated but not eradicated. Over strummed acoustics and a detailed yet unobtrusive rhythm section, Keane joins a heavenly chorus of female voices, the yang to his tonal yang. The song rolls and sways, gathering momentum yet never surrendering to climactic bombast or taking its eyes off the horizon.

Shadowy rock ‘n’ roll of an austere and gothic persuasion.

The Pōneke-based singer-songwriter released his album The Cascade in 2018 and ‘Inside’ is the first taste of his forthcoming follow-up Wandering Bull. I’m intrigued to hear how the rest of his new album will sound.