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Lume announces launch date, first artists and global debut
Album-centric music platform Lume has revealed its launch date as well as the first artists to be featured.
The startup will launch its app on both Google’s Android and Apple iOS on July 17, bringing boxed set-style content – including demos, live tracks, extra artwork and behind-the-scenes footage – to music fans.
Lume had targeted a June launch, but deals signed with a variety of partners, along with significant artist interest, unlocked the ability to go global from day one.
Co-CEO Tim Harper says: “Artists at every scale have fans all over the world. So while we will still launch with a slate of 100% local artists, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to let them sell Lume to fans wherever they might live.”
Co-founder Duncan Greive adds that while Lume will always be a New Zealand company, the change “allows us to meet with and release music by artists from all over the world far earlier than we had previously imagined.”
Far greater possibilities
In addition to vaulting to an immediate global release, Lume has announced its first full slate of releases. These include new and recent albums from icons like Bic Runga and Troy Kingi, along with younger artists, including School Fair, Fazerdaze and Lontalius. They join classic reissued releases from Fur Patrol, Tiki Taane, Die! Die! Die!, The Phoenix Foundation and The Reduction Agents.
The Lume team is now deep into assembling the first of this novel approach to albums, which the team calls a ‘format’: essentially a sequel to vinyl or CDs, only with far greater possibilities due to the devices on which they’re housed.
Co-founder and head of artist relations Justin Warren says: “We’ve received truly incredible archival material.
“Everything from historically important unreleased live sets, to the voice notes where iconic New Zealand songs first began, to diary pages or exciting cover versions.”
Lume co-founder Sacha Judd is a fandom expert who has spoken at conferences around the world, and believes audiences will find the contents of Lume fascinating.
“This material represents a holy grail for fans,” says Judd. “They’re artefacts which add context to albums, and don’t belong on the social web. Here they’re beautifully housed and presented, and reserved for only those who really believe in and truly support an artist.”
Shared vision
Since going public in May 2026, Lume has inked deals with a number of key partners and suppliers, including:
- RMNZ, ensuring chart eligibility on day one
- RNZ, allowing artists will have free access to audio and video across their interviews and live performances
- Critical music publishing arrangements with APRA AMCOS, the organisation representing the rights of songwriters and music publishers
- Key distribution partners including Precise and DRM
- Independent labels like Flying Nun, AAA Records, Lil Chief and Melted Ice Cream
Liisa McMillan, RNZ concert content director, typified the support Lume has received from the music industry in New Zealand.
“RNZ is passionate about New Zealand music – documenting the careers, stories and sounds of Aotearoa’s music makers and championing the album as an art form. We see a real parallel in what Lume wants to achieve, and sharing our rich catalogue of music videos, audio reviews and interviews to support our local musicians on Lume feels like a natural fit. We’re excited to see where this takes New Zealand music,” says McMillan.
The first slate
New and recent releases
- Erny Belle – Not Your Cupid
- Dick Move – Dream, Believe, Achieve
- Earth Tongue – Dungeon Vision
- Vera Ellen – Heaven Knows What Time
- Fables – Change Is A Slow Moving Beast
- Fazerdaze – Soft Power
- Reb Fountain – How Love Bends
- Geneva AM – Pikipiki
- Troy Kingi – Troy Kingi Presents: Night Lords
- Lontalius – Heavy
- Mainard Larkin – Rattlesnake Boy
- Isla Noon – Out of Body Redux
- Ringlets – The Lord Is My German Shepherd
- Bic Runga – Red Sunset
- School Fair – Unexpected Violence
- Swallow The Rat – The Search For Kusel (Live Recordings 2018-2025) *
- Tali – Future Dwellers
- Theia – Girl, in a Savage World
- Voom – Untitled Demos release *
- Womb – One Is Always Heading Somewhere
Reissued classics
- Die! Die! Die! – self-titled
- Fur Patrol – Pet
- The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams
- Tiki Taane -Past, Present, Future #
- Reduction Agents – The Dance Reduction Agents
* Denotes Lume exclusive
# Album is no longer available on Spotify
