Mikey Videotape Releases New Single ‘Needle in a Haystack’ & Announces EP
Auckland-based songwriter and producer Mikey Videotape returns with his most ambitious work to date, beginning with the release of Needle in a Haystack today, 28 August. The single, available on all major platforms, arrives with a cinematic Severance-inspired music video that captures the track’s themes of betrayal vs true happiness.
Needle in a Haystack showcases Mikey’s ability to balance raw vulnerability with powerful hooks, performed with a full band lineup of James White (drums), Bret Crow (bass), and Mikey himself on vocals and guitar and keys. Produced by Dave Bunting at King Killer Studios in Brooklyn, the track strips back the electronic-heavy textures of earlier releases in favor of a more immediate, band-driven performance.
But the single is just the beginning. With Needle in a Haystack, Mikey is also offering something special for listeners: the full seven-track Needle in a Haystack EP will be available exclusively on Bandcamp from release day. Fans who want to dive deeper can hear the entire record right away, while everyone else will discover the songs one by one as they roll out as singles in the months ahead. It’s both an early-access invitation and a way to directly support an independent artist bringing ambitious, genre-bending music to life.
The EP expands Mikey’s sonic world, blending electronic textures with progressive alt-rock arrangements that echo Radiohead, A Perfect Circle, and Steven Wilson. Guitars, strings, and field recordings (from birdsong to thunder) collide with cinematic sound design, pushing his music into bold new territory while retaining the emotional core that has defined his work. Longtime collaborators Mike Kelly, James White, and Bret Crow and producer Dave all lend their musicianship across the tracks, creating a rich, dynamic palette.
Mikey Videotape continues to evolve as one of New Zealand’s most adventurous and heartfelt voices in alternative music – crafting songs that are cinematic, psychedelic, and achingly human.
