Image Credit: Frances Carter
Fragile World drops today
Finn Andrews, the alluring frontman of Aotearoa New Zealand outfit The Veils, is perhaps one of the most interesting and interested figures in the music industry right now. Since their inception The Veils have built a reputation on producing music that brims with introspection, self-awareness, and an unflinching commitment to artistic honesty. Across eight studio albums, Andrews and his ever-evolving ensemble have carved out a space in contemporary music that is both fiercely personal and universally resonant—a rare combination that speaks to their arduous drive and refusal to rest on past laurels.
Keep connected to your live music scene here.
From the raw, urgent energy of their debut, The Runaway Found (2004), to the brooding intensity of Nux Vomica (2006), The Veils have demonstrated a remarkable ability to evolve while retaining a signature depth. Sun Gangs (2009) explored wider musical landscapes, while Time Stays, We Go (2013) honed a contemplative, cinematic quality. Their 2016 album, Total Depravity, showcased collaboration with Run the Jewels’ El-P, marrying visceral rock with hip-hop production flourishes, while the tender, melodic beauty of …And Out Of The Void Came Love (2023) and the introspective Asphodels (2025) revealed a band unafraid of vulnerability. Across this catalogue, The Veils’ music has been sought out by directors like Paolo Sorrentino, Tim Burton, and David Lynch, underscoring their cinematic resonance. It’s perhaps his ingenuity or his unwavering commitment that caught the attention of label Rough Trades Records, signing Andrews at just 16 years of age. The pay-off has clearly been undeniable.
Now, after a year of anticipation, The Veils are poised to release their eighth studio album, Fragile World, today via V2 Records. Early taste comes in the form of the single ‘Aurora’, a deceptively stripped-back track whose piano-driven backbone and haunting layered vocals capture a moment of pure, almost spiritual clarity.
Andrews explains, “This song was written as it was being recorded, which is a very rare thing for me. The day we made it, there was a huge geomagnetic storm over parts of New Zealand, and the pictures of the aurora that followed were in all the papers. Sometimes things are so beautifully simple.”
Fragile World represents a striking tonal pivot from the quiet introspection of Asphodels, embracing immediacy, energy, and emotional intensity. Recorded live to tape in New Zealand with engineer Paddy Hill and produced by Tom Healy (Folk Bitch Trio, Tiny Ruins, The Chills), the album captures The Veils in an instinctive, urgent mode.
“Asphodels was so quiet and introspective, I think I just wanted to make something strident and full of life for a goddamn change.”
Andrews reflects, “We went into the studio with a lot of songs, but very little idea of the arrangements or instrumentation. It was truly exciting having no idea what this record would sound like and only a few weeks to figure it out. It’s mostly Tom and I playing everything, with Joseph McCallum coming in at times. It was all very instinctual, quite full-on, and scary at times—but a good kind of scary, not scary like the real world out there.”
The album’s title resonates on multiple levels: it mirrors the fragility of the present moment, a time when societal and cultural structures feel increasingly unstable, and it also reflects the delicate process of creation itself. Every note, every decision in the studio feels loaded with consequence, yet Andrews and his bandmates navigate these pressures with an almost defiant joy.
This duality—deliberate precision intertwined with raw, instinctual energy—has defined The Veils’ career. Touring has been integral to their evolution, from early European and North American dates to three previous visits to Australia, each leaving audiences spellbound. The band’s ability to translate studio intricacy into live presence is a hallmark of their enduring appeal.
As they prepare to bring Fragile World to Australian audiences, the promise is clear: these will not be mere concerts, but immersive, full-bodied experiences of a band at the peak of creative vitality. With only two exclusive shows announced—Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney and Northcote Social Club in Melbourne this August—tickets are bound to vanish as quickly as the auroras that inspired their latest single.
For those ready to witness a band that marries introspection with showmanship, delicacy with drive, The Veils offer a rare opportunity to see music made with purpose, passion, and a willingness to confront both beauty and chaos head-on.
Give The Veils Fragile World here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source fortemagazine.com.au ’
