We're excited to be heading Oamaru to play The Grainstore Gallery on Friday 13th Feb 2026 with our good friends from Ōtepoti, Hidden Ocean.
sloer
Alt-indie/loud folk outfit sloer play gorgeous, atmospheric and sad songs coupled with raw emotion echoing such artists as Julia Jacklin and Portishead.
sloer are Sophie Askin on vocals, Jacob Smith -guitar , Aaron Hosking -bass, Sophie Omer-McWalter - keys and Mark Orbell on drums/backing vocals.
sloer's debut single crawling released in Oct 2025 (recorded at the wonderful Sublime Studios in Kurow) spent 3 out of its first 5 weeks in the world on Dunedin's Radio One's top 11 and has become firm a fan favourite at recent shows.
Review
sloer
'crawling'
The debut single from Wānaka's sloer, 'crawling' kicks off languid and mostly stays there. A 5-piece founded by vocalist Sophie Askin and guitarist Jacob Smith, sloer's sound is rounded out by pianist Sophie Omer-McWalter, bassist Aaron Hosking and drummer/backing vocalist Mark Orbell. Here that sound is gorgeous, and atmospheric and sad. It's the soundtrack to a story, a chronicle of the slow hard work of leaving, and how that work goes on long after the leaving is done. It's like Mazzy Star covered Julia Jacklin's 'Body' and invited the guitar player from Mogwai along to jam. I can't wait to here more. Full album please! - LW 1964 Magazine Summer 2025
Opening up the evening will be Hidden Ocean an ambient folk pop duo from Ōtepoti Aotearoa. Made up of Adelaide Dunn (Adelaide Cara, Milpool, Repulsive Woman, SJD) and Andrew Harray (Adelaide Cara, SJD, Neive Strang), their piano driven sound and vocal textures evoke a contemplative and shimmering mood.
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