Artist - Neil MacLeod 

Wellington based artist Neil MacLeod’s 2019 debut EP ‘To Unfold’ released days before his 20th birthday marked his emergence as a standout artist in the indie-electronic scene. His new EP ‘We Have Known Lost Days’, signifies a bold new chapter personally and musically.

 

Described as ‘the James Blake of Pōneke’ MacLeod’s fresh and emotive sound brings soul and electronic genres together in ways designed to challenge audiences and disrupt preconceptions around what electronic music is.

 

The subsequent years have seen MacLeod dive deeper into exploring new territories, taking his introspective songs to new sonic space, and the result is a stunning new body of work: EP ‘We Have Known Lost Days’ to be released on 9th of September.

 

Through the duality of an electronic and acoustic sound that is fragile and bombastic MacLeod creates a sonic world that is bittersweet. Expertly manipulated vocals and the heavy use of distortion add to the dramatic and unique genre blurring sound.

 

MacLeod has featured on RNZ Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan, Under the Radar, Sniffers, Counter Journal and The Residents, and his music has held playlist spots with the student radio network across the country. MacLeod’s headline ‘To Unfold’ tour sold out in both of his home cities, three consecutive sold out shows at Wellington's BAT’S Theatre in 2019, and a sold out show at the Loons in Christchurch where MacLeod spent his youth. MacLeod played support for Drax Project at Hawke’s Bays iconic Black Barn at the end of 2020.

 

Collaboration has presented many opportunities for MacLeod to explore genres and expand his musical experiences. ‘We Have Known Lost Days’ and MacLeod’s debut EP 'To Unfold' were co-produced with Devin Abrams.  MacLeod has himself worked as a writer and producer with a broad range of artists including writer and producer on AACACIA's debut EP.  MacLeod has producer and co-writer credits for two tracks, and writing and co-productions on a third track alongside multi-platinum group Drax Project. He is also credited as a co-writer on American duo Ni/Co's 2020 release 'No man's land'. Other co-writing and production projects include work on Solomon Crook's 2021 EP 'I&You', ZO's EP 'Do You Mind?', TOI's recent releases, and working on 3 of 5 tracks on the EP 'Handle With Care' by NOURI. 

 

 MacLeod composed a 40 minute soundscape piece ‘He Tangata’ the musical accompaniment to the opening gala of the Wellington Pride Festival 2021. It was in this process that he met songwriter and taonga pūoro practitioner Te Kahureremoa, they went on to collaborate on Te Kahureremoa’s debut album ‘Acts of Service’ released June 2022 (MacLeod as co-writer and Producer). This collaboration earned high praise from award winning RNZ music journalist Tony Stamp “The two working in conjunction reminds me of the partnership between Moana Maniopoto and Paddy Free - a mix of modern sounds with traditional songwriting, and an infusion of te ao Māori.”

 

There are lots of creative collaborations coming soon, including with Christchurch electronic duo 2XM, renowned classical composer Salina Fischer, taonga pūoro performer and composer Jerome Kavanagh and further projects with Te Kahureremoa.

 

Neil MacLeod revels in moving audiences with his dark cinematic electronic music juxtaposed with intimate soul, he takes this to a whole new level with his forthcoming EP ‘We Have Known Lost Days’.