Aotearoa singer-songwriter Mel Parsons has released CASTLE HILL, her seventh studio album, recorded over an intensive week at a remote lodge near Castle Hill Village in New Zealand's Southern Alps. The ten-track indie-folk collection explores resilience, grief, self-doubt, nostalgia and transformation, produced by Josh Logan and recorded live with bandmates Aaron Stewart, Jed Parsons and Goldenhorse guitarist Ben King.

Award-winning Aotearoa singer-songwriter Mel Parsons presents her breathtaking new album, CASTLE HILL - an intimate collection of songs born from an intense creative burst.

Named after the remote mountain village in New Zealand’s Southern Alps where it was recorded, CASTLE HILL is Mel’s seventh studio album.

Across 10 tracks the album explores resilience, grief, self-doubt, nostalgia, presence and transformation - delivered through the artist’s signature indie-folk blend of vulnerable, reflective songwriting.

Sun setting over a misty valley with forested hills under a gradient sky.

Having booked the sessions before writing the songs, the album emerged from a pressure cooker situation:

“I had all the band booked in but no finished songs,” Mel says. “My partner took the kids away for a week and I shut myself off from the world, working day and night. I’ve always needed a deadline, but this was a real test of focus. My songs usually simmer away for a while before they arrive, so it was a matter of getting them out of my subconscious and into song form. It was terrifying, but also a very pure way to write.”

Produced by Josh Logan, CASTLE HILL was recorded live in a single room with longtime bandmates Aaron Stewart (bass) and Jed Parsons (drums), alongside guitarist Ben King of Goldenhorse/Grand Rapids. The team relocated Logan’s studio to a remote mountain lodge near Castle Hill Village, creating what Mel describes as “a full immersion recording experience over a stolen summer holiday.

“All of us have kids now, so everyone is juggling to make it work. Making the record at Castle Hill afforded us precious time without the added pressures of home life."

Opening track ‘Grain by Grain’ offers an ocean-inspired meditation on change, while ‘Caravan’ drifts into vivid nostalgia, reflecting on childhood summers filled with beaches, bonfires and long sun-soaked days. Alternative radio favourites ‘Post High Slide’, ‘Brick by Brick’ and ‘Be Here Now’ continue the journey, each exploring different tensions of modern life.

‘Post High Slide’ captures the comedown after touring, while ‘Brick by Brick’ offers a gentle reminder to simply begin - even when feeling overwhelmed. On ‘Be Here Now’, featuring acclaimed producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom (Crowded House), Melreflects on digital overload and the challenge of staying present.

Among the album’s most moving moments is ‘Don’t Leave The Light On’, a deeply personal song about surviving an emotionally abusive relationship and reclaiming self-worth. Later tracks ‘Not Enough’ and ‘Clean Slate’ move through self-doubt, exhaustion, and profound loss, while ‘Time Slows Down’ reflects on the strange elasticity of time and the magic of human connection.

While never shying away from melancholy, Mel’s songs always leave space for light. Something that pulls listeners into her music and makes her such a skilled songwriter and performer.

“Sad songs still reign supreme for me,” Mel says, “but I always hope there’s a crack of light in there somewhere. I think that reflects human nature - we’re all somewhere on the emotional rollercoaster at any given time.”

Mel Parsons' new album 'Castle Hill' is out now - available on CD & Vinyl HERE, and on all streaming platforms.

CASTLE HILL tracklisting:

Grain by Grain
Caravan
Post High Slide
Don’t Leave The Light On
Be Here Now
Brick by Brick
Not Enough
Clean Slate
Time Slows Down
The Rain

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