Marlin's Dreaming

Marlin’s Dreaming is an indie pop band from Dunedin, New Zealand. Formed in 2017 by longtime friends Semisi Ma’ia’i, Oscar Johns, Hamish Morgan & De Stevens, the band found unexpected success with their debut album 'Lizard Tears' (2017) which garnered international acclaim including from COMPLEX who called it an “exciting, intoxicating debut”. Subsequent releases like 'Talk On/Commic' (2018) and 'Quotidian' (2020) showcased their evolution into angular guitars and angst-driven melodies, earning praise from publications like CLASH, NME & Brooklyn Vegan. Their introspective 2021 release 'Hasten' was an acoustically driven album exploring themes of post-pandemic life in New Zealand's desolate, rugged south island. ‘HIRL’, their fourth album, was released August 16th 2024. Singles, ‘Earnestly’, ‘Hello My Dear’ and ‘Lucky Star’, were warmly received by publications Atwood Magazine and Rolling Stone AUS. Marlin's Dreaming continues to push musical boundaries, heightening guitar pop to a fine art. Marlin’s Dreaming is well woven into the indie rock realm, but has stitched its own sound, providing a fresh thread in a familiar tapestry. Their wilful abandonment of themselves, as they mutate from album to album, has enabled a constantly changing and evolving sound. Though their friendship serves as commonality, their influences are vast, spanning Pavement, Chastity Belt and Alex G.