Down at the hall, pink liquid dribbles, a lazy Monday, good girl gone bad, kung fu pose-off, and a lonely lady.
Gin Wigmore “SOS”
The song “SOS” isn’t particularly dynamic, keeping the same intensity of twee folk-pop throughout the whole track. But the video gets more interesting. It’s set in a cavernous town hall, where Gin and band initially perform to an uninterested audience. But soon they get the party started, with Gin joining in for some fun Busby Berkeley style dancing.
Director: Dan Reisinger
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Goodnight Nurse “This Is It”
I’m not especially enamoured with the song, but the video – by Special Problems – is intriguing. There’s Goodnight Nurse playing their song around the back of a building and all around them unusual things are happening – purple smoke billows, orange balls bounce, blue cards flutter down, pink liquid dribbles. The arty look of the video is a big change from Goodnight Nurse’s early days as a teen punk-pop band and it’s an surprisingly awkward fit.
Director: Special Problems
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Greg Johnson “Looking Out On Monday”
The “Looking Out On Monday” video captures Greg on a lazy day at home on Los Angeles. While he’s enjoying a relaxed morning in bed, his pal Ted Brown is outside, trying get his mate to come out and play. The highlight is when Ted takes a break from knocking on the door, sits down and plays the song’s electric guitar solo on his ukulele.
Director: Arvid Eriksson
Hera “The Devil & Me” – missing
I have this thing about graveyards being used in music videos. Maybe it’s me being superstitious, but I think the resting place of the dead should be treated with a bit more respect than just being used to provide a cheap spooky location. Hera’s song is about being naughty, with Hera stealing flowers off graves, so I guess there’s a bit of context for being a dick at a graveyard. This never used to happen in New Zealand music videos, possibly the result of technological advances making it cheaper and easier to do outdoor shoots.
Note: This video was on YouTube but has since been removed.
Director: Andie Spargo
Iva Lamkum “Kung Fu Grip”
Wellington songstress Iva Lamkum shows up with a cool androgynous style, giving her own take on Janelle Monae’s bandleader chic. With Iva dressed in black and white, the video puts her and her in a monochrome setting, keeping it simple and cool. As the video progresses, Iva finds herself facing a series of kung fu warriors, but it’s more a fashion pose-off than a martial arts showdown.
Director: Preston McNeil
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Luger Boa “What Is Real?” 
– missing
The “What Is Real?” video can only be viewed on various geoblocked MTV websites or through an Apple Music subscription. But from the 30-second preview Apple Music offers, it’s clear that Lugar Boa’s video is full of firey flames. The video also includes a scene where Jimmy Christmas does the classic music video post of dramatically looking through Venetian blinds. It’s revealed he’s gazing at an old, dirty, empty swimming pool.
Director: Chris Stapp
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Lydia Cole “Feels Like”
“Feels Like” is a sad song, a tale of loneliness. The video puts Lydia along in a room full of recording equipment, along with the cables. This is cut with footage of another woman alone in a house. This time it’s an old lady, but she isn’t totally alone. She’s looking through mementos, and the walls of her house are covered with dozens and dozens of photos of people. “Feels Like” later provided the vocal hook for Loui the Zu’s 2012 track “In the Winter”.
Director: Matt Ebenezer