Aro – Mundane: 13th Floor New Song Of The Day

Today, February 13th, Te Tiriti-based duo Aro return with Mundane – a rock n roll’ esk, unflinching reflection, on loving the kaupapa, but not always the repetitivity. This latest release from the talented duo, beautifully follows the shimmering hope of first single, Puna Ora.

Here is the blurb with more:

Released alongside an evocative music video, Mundane explores the cycles of everyday life – the repetitive rhythms people get stuck in, and the deep yearning to break free.

It’s about believing deeply in the kaupapa, yet finding ourselves caught in behaviours that hold us back from truly growing.

“The song is about that tension, when we see the same rhythms repeating – in others, in ourselves – and feel the ache of wanting to move forward, to grow, but getting stuck in the mundane.”

The accompanying video, set in a roller skating rink, brings this theme to life – contrasting the monotony of routine with moments of exaggerated, childlike play. It’s a visual metaphor for release and reconnection, inviting us to rediscover joy and freedom within the everyday.

Aro, Charles (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Mutunga) and Emily Looker, are a multi-award-winning Te Tiriti-based duo whose sound traverses pop, jazz, folk, soul, and haka-infused motifs. Their work is anchored in the values of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga – caring for ourselves, each other, and the natural world.

With their signature blend of reo Māori and English, woven through indie-soul textures and haunting harmonies, Mundane builds on the sonic world first opened in Puna Ora. Where Puna Ora glimmers with hope, Mundane sits in the wrestle – the in-between of ideal and reality.

Written while living full-time on the road with their tamariki, in their caravan, Mundane captures both the stillness and the motion of that life. Journeying between the magical and the mundane, exploring the struggle to hold onto beauty, hope, and wonder amidst the weight of real life.

The songs that make up forthcoming album Tāwauwau, often emerged in the quiet moments on the road, after long days of travel and whānau rhythms – reflections on faith, community, and the unseen habits that shape us all.

Mundane is out on all streaming platforms on February 13th, 2026, and is the second release off their forthcoming concept album Tāwauwau (out March 20th, 2026). Aro will also be performing a single release show on Saturday February 14th, as a part of Music in the Parks in Tamaki Makaurau in the Domain Rotunda.

Aro are extremely grateful to Te Māngai Pāho for supporting the making of this project.

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