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    Greatsouth - Hellhole of the Pacific
  • Pre-order
    Greatsouth - Hellhole of the Pacific

Greatsouth - Hellhole of the Pacific

$59.00
RELEASE DATE: 21 August 2026

Hellhole of the Pacific (HOTP) is a concept album that reclaims and reimagines Aotearoa's narratives through an urban Māori lens. Taking its name from the label once given to Kororāreka (Russell) in the 1830s, a place associated with lawlessness, colonial exploitation and profound cultural upheaval, the album asks a challenging question: how far have we really come if many of the same systemic inequities continue today?

Drawing from the lived experiences of working-class Māori, HOTP examines the enduring impacts of land loss, colonisation and economic marginalisation, while celebrating the resilience of whakapapa, whenua and community. Through a blend of indie rock, taonga pūoro and field recordings, the album creates immersive sonic landscapes that connect personal stories to wider histories.

Inspired by the storytelling traditions of writers such as Witi Ihimaera and Whiti Hereaka, and the uncompromising advocacy of figures like Tame Iti, HOTP embraces creative forms that challenge convention. It invites listeners to engage more deeply with our hītori and pūrākau, not as distant history, but as living narratives that continue to shape who we are and who we might become.
Artist
Greatsouth
Album
Hellhole of the Pacific

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Greatsouth - Hellhole of the Pacific
Artist Profile

Greatsouth

Greatsouth is the musical project of Māori artist Payton Taplin (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa), based in Papakura, South Auckland. Blending indie rock, Polynesian post-punk, taonga pūoro and field recordings, his music explores whakapapa, identity, resistance and belonging through a distinctly Aotearoa lens. Named after the Great South Road, built during the New Zealand Wars to invade the Waikato, Greatsouth reclaims a symbol of colonisation as a site of memory, resistance and identity.

Since releasing his self-titled debut EP in 2024, Greatsouth has become one of Aotearoa's emerging alternative voices. The EP was recognised by RNZ Music 101 as one of the year's standout releases and featured by Dazed and Rolling Stone AU/NZ.

Recent years have seen him perform at Auckland Arts Festival, APRA x Waiata Anthems Ake Ake Ake Infinity Sessions, and 95bFM x Carhartt WIP Audio Archives, while sharing stages with The Beths, Muroki, Phoebe Rings, Jeshi (UK), LEAO and MOHI. His work has also received support from KEXP, Triple R and 4ZZZ.

In 2026, Greatsouth's single 'Hellhole of the Pacific' was shortlisted for the APRA Silver Scroll Award, ahead of the release of his debut album of the same name.

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