Setup, Nicholas Franchise

One of the few franchises not owned by Disney

Nicholas Franchise’s debut album Setup makes for leisurely summer listening. It was brought into the world via his mum’s shed in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, 2018. However, Franchise, and his smooth indie-rock-synth craft, only entered into my sphere at NestFest in January. Since then, Setup has repeatedly proved itself as a great company on my many pilgrimages between Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau this summer.

It’s an easy, relaxed, and fulfilling listen. Highlights include: 3:33 AM (One Too Many) that happily takes you back to the time(s) you probably pushed the boat out a bit far on the kickons front, and attending your 4-year-old cousins princess birthday party that same morning becomes a daunting task. Like Each Other, which was recorded in a Queenstown bathroom, is a swift indie-synth slap of ‘oops, maybe I have fallen in love with my summer fling?’. And finally, Victory calls for reflection on all of the wonderful parts of your weird little life you’ve lived over the past couple of months. A perfect gift to the end of a precious summer. Overall, Setup is a dreamy and almost nostalgic listen, similar to that of Sam Wave and Joe Ghatt. Summer might be ending (unless the climate crisis keeps this heat up), but this sweet lil’ Āotearoa number will remind you of golden warm days deep into the damp Auckland winter.