Hoop. Release New Album ‘Wrap Me Up in Winter’
Tāmaki Makaurau indie-folk ensemble hoop. return this year with Wrap Me Up in Winter – an evocative eight-track mini-album that showcases the band’s hallmark blend of lush harmonies, intricate strings, and soulful storytelling. Set for release on 28 November 2025, the record guides listeners through a season of emotional landscapes: life, love, loss, lockdown, politics, and the quiet moments that shape us.
Rooted in the songwriting partnership of Nick Edgar and Al Baxter, hoop. weave their voices, guitars, flute, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica with the soaring string arrangements of Emily Allen and the earthy, intuitive rhythm section of Rusty Knox (drums/percussion) and Glenn Coldham (bass). Drawing influence from Celtic traditions to Americana, the band craft intimate, genre-blending folk that resonates on stage and through headphones alike.
Well-known as curators of Auckland’s Ministry of Folk – a recurring event transforming a historic 1800s church hall into an acoustic cabaret space — hoop. bring years of shared musical history to the project. Their collaborative roots stretch back to their time in the 12-piece folk-funk collective The Wonderfish Collective, as well as in side projects such as The Mollymawks and The Helium Project. Wrap Me Up in Winter follows their earlier EPs Oblivion, As Good As It Gets, and This Year.
A Track-by-Track Glimpse into Wrap Me Up in Winter
1. End Before the Start
A reflective, playful opener exploring fate, choice, and the question: If you could know your future, would you want to?
Nick Edgar (songwriter, vocals, guitar); Al Baxter (banjo, harmonica, slide guitar); Emily Allen (strings); Rusty Knox (drums); Glenn Coldham (bass).
2. Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way
A warm, country-infused celebration of loving someone — quirks and all. Featuring guest mandolinist Nigel Gavin.
Al Baxter (songwriter, vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo); Emily Allen (strings); Nick Edgar (electric guitar, backing vocals); Rusty Knox (drums); Glenn Coldham (bass); Nigel Gavin (mandolin).
3. Elephant in the Room
Jangly, sharp-witted, and relatable — a song about navigating workplace politics while trying to stay positive.
Al Baxter (songwriter, vocals, guitars); Emily Allen (strings); Nick Edgar (electric guitar, backing vocals); Rusty Knox (drums); Glenn Coldham (bass).
4. Wrap Me Up in Winter
The album’s title track: a tender reflection on intimacy, warmth, and the quiet moments that sustain love through cold seasons.
Nick Edgar (songwriter, vocals, guitar); Al Baxter (banjo); Emily Allen (violin, viola, strings); Rusty Knox (drums); Glenn Coldham (bass).
5. Outlaw
A witty, affectionate portrait of joining a boisterous family of seven siblings — told from the perspective of an in-law who jokingly dubs themselves an “outlaw.”
Nick Edgar (songwriter, vocals, electric guitar); Al Baxter (acoustic guitar); Emily Allen (violin, viola, strings); Rusty Knox (drums, percussion); Glenn Coldham (bass).
6. Up in Smoke
A protest song responding to the scrapping of Aotearoa’s Smoke-free targets. Inspired partly by MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke’s powerful maiden speech, the track blends folk activism with a reimagined 4/4 arrangement of the traditional Irish jig The Strayaway Child. Guest appearance by Helen Douglason low D whistle.
Al Baxter (songwriter, vocals, acoustic guitar); Emily Allen (strings); Nick Edgar (flute); Rusty Knox (bodhrán); Glenn Coldham (bass); Helen Douglas (low D whistle).
7. Take Me to a Time
A nostalgic look back at the stillness of lockdown — the clarity, connection, and space it created in the midst of global uncertainty.
Nick Edgar (composer, vocals, guitar); Al Baxter (guitar, mandolin); Emily Allen (strings); Rusty Knox (drums, percussion); Glenn Coldham (bass).
8. Devil’s Choice
Based on the true story of a family trapped in the Corryong bush fires at a New Year’s folk festival, this tense, urgent track unfolds in 5/4 time. Emily Allen’s violin mimics fire engines in a striking arrangement that builds toward a powerful finale with flute and organ.
Al Baxter (songwriter, vocals, acoustic guitar); Emily Allen (strings); Nick Edgar (flute, Hammond organ); Rusty Knox (drums); Glenn Coldham (bass).
Album release show
7:30pm Saturday 6th December @ DEPOT Artspace Devonport
With special guests: Moon Goose
Tickets depot.org.nz
