Stars and the Underground
shoegaze / post-punk / indie / alternative / indie rock / alternative rock / goth / gothic / postpunk / gothic rock
Stars and the Underground is the musical project of Auckland, New Zealand-based singer-songwriter John Mason. Formed in 2019, the band has released an EP, "Evolution Circle," and two singles to date, "Nosferatu Upon Tyne" (2020) and "Lonely Black Hearts" (2025), both to critical acclaim. The band is currently working on their debut album, "Guardians of the Night," due for release in mid-2026. They have performed live in New Zealand and Australia with a variety of line-ups and guest musicians, and with artists such as Drab Majesty (US), Ikon (AU), and Sounds Like Winter (AU). The current lineup is John Mason (Vocals/Guitar), ex-Winterland, and John McDermott (Drums), ex- Headless Chickens. Stars and the Underground's music is a blend of post-punk, shoegaze, and dark synth wave with influences from bands such as The Cure, The Church, The Mission, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, The Chameleons, Flying Colors, My Bloody Valentine, Drab Majesty, Twin Tribes, and Kælan Mikla.
Press :
"Stars and the Underground conjure a dark synthwave and shoegaze sound that drifts like cathedral smoke and sways like twilight on the tide. Guitars chime and shimmer with celestial clarity, while basslines brood beneath, steady as sleepwalks. Vocals echo like lost prayers, half-whispered, half-resolved. Drawing from the same windswept well as The Church and The Mission, they summon atmosphere over aggression, beauty over bombast, mood over momentum..." — Alice Teeple, Post-Punk.com
"After a two-year silence, Stars and the Underground are back—louder, darker, and more cinematic than ever. Their new single 'Lonely Black Hearts' marks the first taste of their upcoming album Guardians of the Night, a brooding blend of post- punk, synthwave, and shoegaze that's already turning heads internationally..." — Nick, EmptySpaces.co.nz
"Dark Soulful Post Punk from New Zealand..." — Mick Mercer (UK)
"Moody, atmospheric textured landscapes of sound which wash out like smooth rolling waves..." — Rev Orange Peel, 13thfloor.co.nz
