Wellington’s NOVA unveil groove-laden new single ‘Temple’ + announce forthcoming EP, out July 21

Te-Whanganui-a-Tara band NOVA have released their reflective and vibe-filled new single Temple, out today. Temple is the third track to be released off their upcoming EP, out July 21.

Listen to Temple HERE

Stacked synths and moments of ear candy fill the sonic space of Temple, with a hook-laden rhythm section woven in to create an all-encompassing, infectious groove. The vocals, performed by NOVA’s Bryn van Vliet and Eliza Pickard, oscillate between more staccato verses and expansive, layered choruses; the latter creating a poignant yet uplifting tone which leans into the meaning of the song.

“Temple is about the push and pull of various dense emotions that we feel,” explains Bryn. “Written in the third person, the “Temple” mentioned is actually referring to the self.”

“When I wrote this, I was going through a depressive stage and feeling rather low. Throughout, there are overarching themes which ask the questions: where are you at right now? how are you at the moment? In order to remain somewhat anonymous, the song to me acknowledges these feelings through a safety net of metaphor. Despite these feelings, the chorus remains uplifting and hopeful.”

Temple and NOVA’s upcoming EP was made with support from NZ On Air’s New Music Development scheme; recorded at Massey University studios with Anna Edgington, and mixed and mastered by Ben Horton (Benny Tonez).

“Bryn wrote this song way back in 2017 as a demo on Garageband,” says Eliza. “In fact, the entire songwriting was completed and sat on the computer for five years! When we received funding for this project we were exploring various songs to record and this song was revived and given a new life!”

You can see NOVA live at their EP release show 22 July at The Rogue & Vagabond.

For more information and tickets head HERE

Made up of Wellingtonians Bryn van Vliet and Eliza Pickard, they are also joined by musicians Phoebe Johnson, Conway Jeune and Luther Hunt. The upcoming EP announced today will also include previously released singles Floating Away and When It Comes. It will be their second EP, following on from their debut EP released in October 2021. NOVA aims to approach pop music with quirky elements, infectious grooves and palatable hooks. Their sound mixes elements of indie pop with influences such as Kimbra, Metronomy and Parcels, with sophisticated songwriting from inspirations like Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles.

Get ready for more to come from this exciting new local band, with NOVA saying, “our EP project will be extremely diverse musically. It will make you feel all the things!”