Pīwaka is the solo project of Kiwi musician Josh McGettigan. Named after the Māori word for a native New Zealand bird, the moniker nods to his homeland while also capturing the spirit of a man who has spent the past half‑decade taking flight across South America and Europe. That migratory instinct — curiosity, movement, reinvention — sits at the heart of Pīwaka’s sound.

Drawing on the finger‑picking intricacy and alternate tunings of José González, the self‑sufficient, orchestral approach of jazz guitarist Martin Taylor, and the textural worlds of Bibio, Sufjan Stevens, Beirut, and Radiohead, McGettigan builds lush, dappled soundscapes from deceptively minimal tools. He weaves harmony, rhythm and melody into performances that feel expansive, atmospheric, and deeply human.

A multi‑instrumentalist with restless musical appetite, McGettigan began on piano as a child before shifting his focus to guitar through high school. Since then, he has played lead guitar in indie‑rock, blues‑rock and jazz groups; taught himself ukulele and harmonica; assembled 12‑piece, ramshackle, house‑party orchestras for friends; and even studied fiddle in the Irish traditional style. His work as Piwaka is the quiet convergence of all those impulses — intimate songwriting meeting broad curiosity; folk forms meeting cinematic sensibility; restraint meeting ambition.

Whether on stage or in the studio, Pīwaka creates a world where a single instrument can feel like many, and where each song feels like a conversation between places lived, influences absorbed, and stories gathered along the way.

After releasing EP ‘beag’ in 2019 - a memento of his time spent living on the Irish West Coast, Pīwaka is now sharing his debut album, 'Slow'.

‘Slow’ is a quietly defiant debut album — a cinematic, atmospheric body of work created over several years spent moving between Aotearoa New Zealand and Naarm Melbourne. Shaped by movement, landscapes, and reflection, the album embraces slowness not only as a mood, but as a philosophy.

At a time of endless scrolling, short attention spans, and pressure to move faster, ‘Slow’ offers something different: spacious arrangements, patient songwriting, and music that invites listeners to sit still for a while. Drawing on influences such as Radiohead, José González, Beirut, and Sessa, the album blends fingerpicked acoustic guitar, alternate tunings, ghostly textures, and orchestral folk instrumentation into a sound that feels both intimate and expansive.

‘Slow’ will be released on bandcamp and all streaming services on 17 May.