New Zealand Music Startup Lume Announces Launch Date, First Artists

Bic Runga and more big Kiwi names are going to New Zealand music startup Lume. 

Found in October of last year, Lume is an album-centric music app backed by investors including Lorde, Substack’s Hamish McKenzie, Letterboxd’s Karl von Randow, Previously Unavailable’s James Hurman, and former Sky boss John Fellet.

According to a press release, Lume "can be thought of as both a digital collection and a digital store."

The nascent platform brings "boxed set-style content — demos, live tracks, extra artwork, and behind-the-scenes footage — to app stores."

The Lume app will go live on both Google's Android and Apple iOS on July 17th. 

It works on a "buy once, own forever" model, rather than a subscription, and 80% of net revenue "is reserved for artists and their partners." 

Co-founder Sacha Judd, described as "a fandom expert," believes Lume's content "represents a holy grail for fans."

“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," Judd says.

Lume has already confirmed a partnership with RMNZ, "ensuring chart eligibility on day one"; "critical music publishing arrangements" with APRA AMCOS; and deals with renowned independent labels such as Flying Nun, Lil' Chief Records, and Melted Ice Cream. 

In addition to vaulting to an immediate global release, Lume has today revealed its first full slate of artists and releases. 

Local artists championed by our sister site Rolling Stone AU/NZ, including Erny Belle, Fables, Mainard Larkin, Womb, and the publication's Future of Music 2026 members Dick Move, Earth Tongue, Vera Ellen, and Geneva AM feature in the first slate. 

Classic reissued releases from the likes of Fur Patrol, Die! Die! Die!, The Phoenix Foundation, and Tiki Taane have also been secured by Lume. 

Check out the full first slate below. 

The press release states that the Lume team is "now deep into assembling" the first of its "novel approach to albums," which Lume's team explains is "essentially a sequel to vinyl or CDs," but "with far greater possibilities due to the devices on which they're housed." 

“We’ve received truly incredible archival material,” says co-founder and head of artist relations Justin Warren. “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.” 

Find out more about Lume here. 

Lume's First Slate

New/recent releases

1. Erny Belle – Not Your Cupid

2. Dick Move – Dream, Believe, Achieve

3. Earth Tongue – Dungeon Vision

4. Vera Ellen – Heaven Knows What Time

5. Fables – Change Is a Slow Moving Beast

6. Fazerdaze – Soft Power

7. Reb Fountain – How Love Bends

8. Geneva AM – Pikipiki

9. Troy Kingi – Troy Kingi Presents: Night Lords 

10. Lontalius – Heavy

11. Mainard Larkin – Rattlesnake Boy

12. Isla Noon – Out of Body Redux

13. Ringlets – The Lord Is My German Shepherd

14. Bic Runga – Red Sunset

15. School Fair – Unexpected Violence 

16. Swallow The Rat – The Search For Kusel (Live Recordings 2018-2025) *

17. Tali – Future Dwellers

18. Theia – Girl, in a Savage World

19. Voom – Untitled Demos release *

20. Womb – One Is Always Heading Somewhere

Reissues

21. Die! Die! Die! – self-titled

22. Fur Patrol – Pet

23. The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams

24. Tiki Taane – Past, Present, Future #

25. Reduction Agents – The Dance Reduction Agents

*Lume exclusive
#Album no longer available on Spotify