With “4mat of a Girl,” Pax Maisín announces herself as one of the most intriguing new electronic voices to emerge from Aotearoa New Zealand. Released on June 13, 2025, the debut project is a bold, self-produced statement that balances playfulness with emotional depth, placing Maisín firmly outside predictable genre boundaries while remaining deeply human at its core.
As an independent artist from what she calls “the bottom of the world,” Pax Maisín brings a refreshingly global perspective rooted in local experience. Her work feels intentionally unpolished in spirit, yet meticulously crafted in execution. There is a constant tension throughout 4mat of a Girl between control and chaos, humour and darkness, softness and abrasion — a tension that becomes the project’s defining strength.
Sonically, the release stands as a counterpoint to Aotearoa’s traditionally bass-heavy electronic landscape. As noted by Mixmag Australia New Zealand, Maisín’s sound fluctuates between hard and soft, with gritty production that recalls artists like Katy B while remaining unmistakably her own. The beats are muscular but elastic, the textures layered and immersive, and the arrangements constantly evolving. Nothing stays static for long, and that restlessness mirrors the inner narratives the project explores.
At its heart, 4mat of a Girl feels like an invitation into Maisín’s internal world. She confronts the “monkey mind” with a sense of lightness and irony, while also diving headfirst into the darker, less comfortable aspects of female experience. Spiritual undertones weave subtly through the project, not as grand declarations, but as quiet questions about identity, presence, and return. There is an abstract storytelling quality here — emotions are translated into sound rather than spelled out, allowing listeners to project their own meaning onto the music.
What makes this release particularly compelling is the fact that it is entirely self-produced, from recording to mastering. Rather than feeling insular, this hands-on approach gives the EP a cohesive identity. Maisín’s technical confidence is evident, but it never overshadows the emotional intent. Instead, the production feels like an extension of her voice — playful, challenging, and deeply considered.
Her tongue-in-cheek sensibility keeps the project from becoming overly heavy. Playful rhythms and unexpected melodic turns disrupt any sense of linear narrative, encouraging repeat listens and rewarding curiosity. The result is music that challenges without alienating, offering moments of accessibility before pulling the listener back into something stranger and more abstract.
Pax Maisín’s background adds further context to the project’s richness. Rooted in classical vocal training and shaped by early experiences DJ-ing for local radio, her musical language feels both informed and instinctive. Her work in curation, performance, and radio culture is reflected in the EP’s broad palette and sharp sense of pacing.
4mat of a Girl is not just a debut; it is a declaration of intent. Supported by Creative New Zealand and driven by a desire for authentic global connection, Pax Maisín positions herself as an artist unafraid to experiment, reflect, and disrupt expectations. This release feels like the first chapter of a much larger story — strange, evocative, and quietly fearless.
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