- From The Archives: Tony Levin
Thirty-one years ago, GARY STEEL spoke to bassist extraordinaire Tony Levin who was about to perform in NZ with his good mate Peter Gabriel. - Cracking the pizza code
Are you disappointed at your attempts at homemade pizza, or maybe even too scared to try? PAT PILCHER is here to explain the techniques that will make you a pizza guru. - Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven reviewed
Witchdoctor’s pizza guru PAT PILCHER learns how to make world-class pizza in a nifty portable oven that’s – get this! – electric. - Drop is a flop
ASHTON BROWN doesn’t mince words on his opinion of Drop, a film that’s so incredibly mediocre he even forgot its name. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - JBL SoundGear Audio Frames: Sound and vision
This might seem like a crazy idea but PAT PILCHER found that JBL’s sound-emitting sunglasses made for an ideal musical accompaniment to his holiday in the sun. - From The Archives: Pacific voyager Mike Cooper
Twenty years ago, GARY STEEL interviewed fascinating Rome-based UK-born folk experimentalist Mike Cooper on one of his Pacific journeys. Here’s that story followed by the full interview transcript. - What our wine guru did on his holidays
It gets a bit much reviewing wine and taking wine tours all year so our wine guru PHIL PARKER took a break, but not from wine. - Samsung Galaxy A56 5G: Bang-for-buck best in class
Not everyone can afford a $3000 smartphone, but Samsung comes to the rescue with a highly specced and fully featured midprice model that PAT PILCHER reckons warrants a Gold award. - How not to meet a famous rock star
In 1989, CHRIS BOURKE was in New York and went along to a Frank Zappa book launch on behalf of a friend back home. He recently came across the aerogramme he wrote to his friend… - World’s Worst Records: Damon Albarn’s Everyday Robots
MATT KELLY is surprised and shocked to find that without the collaborations that are his stock in trade Damon Albarn has a yawningly empty musical larder. - Cooking without gas: Ninja’s Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill reviewed
Like all good old-school Kiwis PAT PILCHER loves a barbeque binge. But how will Ninja’s smoke-enhanced electric grill compare to traditional BBQs? - Crafty Corner – The Hallertau taste test
Witchdoctor’s hopping mad (geddit?) craft beer guru is a longtime fan of the craft beer legends at Hallertau and couldn’t resist the opportunity to taste six of their best. - NZ rock still… rocks! We Search For Yeti!
They probably won’t be performing at Spark Arena anytime soon, but GARY STEEL reckons Wellington-based independent rockers Search For Yeti are well worth a listen. - Sennheiser Profile Wireless Mics: Super sound for wannabe YouTubers
If you’re planning to blabber away incessantly on your very own YouTube channel or podcast you’ll want a decent microphone to capture the wonder that’s your vocal apparatus. PAT PILCHER reviews one of the more affordable mics on the market. - Enshitification: How tech companies are crapping in their own nest
We’ve all been the victim of it, and many of us feel entrapped by it. PAT PILCHER names and shames some of the culprits of enshitification who make our lives worse rather than better. - Cricut Maker 4 – the best crafting gizmo yet
PAT PILCHER is a crafty bastard and as such he’s a big fan of Cricut and their new, improved crafting doo-dad; so much so that he’s awarded it the grand-slam Witchdoctor Gold badge. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - “My Precious…” – Samsung’s Galaxy Ring reviewed
Ring-a-ling-ling! Samsung’s latest diminutive and stylish device is awarded a Gold badge by Witchdoctor tech editor PAT PILCHER, whose sleeping and general health monitoring needs are met spectacularly. - Drink up!
Another month, another bottle (or 10). PHIL PARKER’s been drinking again and here are his top recommendations for the month. - Why are our politicians so out of touch with NZ’s poor?
PAT PILCHER has a close look at the increasingly bizarre school lunch saga that’s played out over the past weeks and suggests a solution. - Ring my bell: Annke Whiffle Smart Doorbell
Modern life is not complete without a smart doorbell, and according to PAT PILCHER, the amusingly named Annke Whiffle is a real contender and, as a bonus, it’s cheap as chips. - OMD, The Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, etc: LIVE REVIEW
Despite a strong aversion to such things GARY STEEL attends an ‘80s nostalgia music festival and survives to tell the tale. - Never vacuum again! Ecovacs T30S Combo
So you’re caving in and about to employ a robot to do your dirty work for you, but how do you ensure that you’ve got every nook and canny covered? PAT PILCHER has found the answer. - Antipodes Kala 21: the ultimate music streaming solution
There’s a lot of confusion over music servers and streamers, but GARY STEEL spends quality time with a product from Aotearoa that beats all-comers. - Matthew Bannister’s The Dark Backward reviewed
Matthew Bannister’s latest album is packed with 15 charming songs of sneaky feelings and revealing couplets, writes GARY STEEL. - Samsung S25 Galaxy Ultra – smarter, better, faster
PAT PILCHER is hugely impressed with Samsung’s new Ultra, which refines and improves the smarts of its predecessor with the addition of some very cool AI tools. - Technics EAH-AZ100 Wireless Earbuds: The buds to beat
Let’s not beat around the bush: Technics’ new wireless earbuds are the best of their type that PAT PILCHER has ever heard, so naturally, they get our highest accolade. - Unwind’s Embers album a healing balm
The world’s in a state of chaos, right? Here’s an album that will give you gentle solace, writes GARY STEEL, who reckons taking a step back and breathing deeply for 50 minutes is no bad thing. - Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless Security Camera: easy and cheap
PAT PILCHER fools around with the latest Amazon security camera and finds it almost impossible to fault. And it’s also cheap as chips. - Becoming Led Zeppelin – Cock around the clock
GARY STEEL discusses the still-contentious “classic rock” group Led Zeppelin and their first ever so-called “documentary”. - Crafty Corner: Alibi Microbrewery
It’s a hard road to tread but ASHTON BROWN is prepared to suffer for his passion and today he’s checking out six delicious beers from Waiheke Island’s treasured Alibi. - Epson’s EF-22B Projector: Why buy a TV?
Lazy bastard tech editor PAT PILCHER reclined in bed watching Epson’s remarkable projections on his ceiling. While we wouldn’t recommend that, Witchdoctor does hand out a coveted Gold Award for this fabulous (and nicely priced) projector. - Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins – Witchdoctor Q&A
For a while in the mid-1980s, the Thompson Twins were the biggest thing in pop, but when Tom Bailey retired the project in the mid-90s and moved to New Zealand, all that stopped. Having explored an eclectic range of projects since, in the mid-2000s Tom Bailey eventually bowed to pressure to once again perform the old hits. Witchdoctor talked to Tom about his appearance at the Sounds Series concerts around the country late this month and early next. - Wiz 48ft String Lights: Wiz-bang brilliant!
Let there be light! PAT PILCHER discovers that there’s an economical way to set his garden up with the glow of smart lighting. - Mostly Kiwi wines for late summer drinking
Our wine guru PHIL PARKER selects and describes a bunch of mostly NZ wines to ease us through the long, cicada-infested daze of late summer. - HP OmniBook Ultra: small but power-packed
PAT PILCHER put HP’s new ultra-portable laptop to the test and found that in every way that mattered the Omnibook Ultra held its own with the heavy hitters. - Samsung launches S25, Rings and lots of AI
Samsung’s unpacked event is a highly anticipated tech event that sees gadget bloggers and writers enter into endless speculation about what the Korean tech juggernaut will launch. This year’s unpacked event announced the new Galaxy S25 range and another pleasant surprise, the Galaxy Ring. Sadly, the much-rumoured Galaxy smart glasses didn’t make an appearance. As - Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty: No more farting around with dust bags
Witchdoctor’s resident vacuum expert tackles a novel new model which self-empties but PAT PILCHER finds there’s a lot more to recommend it. - Samsung A16 5G: An affordable pocket rocket
If you need a new phone but don’t have the cash for a topline model PAT PILCHER has found a nicely priced Samsung that does everything it’s supposed to do very well indeed. - Dark patterns in tech: How design tricks us into doing what companies want
They’re monitoring every little thing you do online and you don’t know it, writes wary internet expert ANNA BUTTERFIELD. Here’s her advice. - Panasonic wows CES audiences with new ear gear and smart TVs
At CES, Las Vegas, Technics announced its latest true wireless earbuds, the EAH-AZ100. You’d be forgiven for wondering what the fuss is about, but these are no ordinary buds. Traditional drivers have been replaced with cutting-edge “Magnetic Fluid Driver” technologies. According to the folks at Panasonic/Technics, this technology ensures clean, high-resolution audio with extremely low - The Great Witchdoctor Q&A: Ian Brown
Ian Brown is simply one of the nicest blokes in the Kiwi hi-fi scene and the gear he makes available through his company Critical Sound Information reliably juggles value with sonic surprise. We asked him the trickiest questions we could think of. - Crafty Corner – Laughing Bones brews reviewed
ASHTON BROWN sends out an SOS and Laughing Bones brewery of Silverdale answers his call for some delicious cold ones to review. - World’s Worst Records – David Hasselhoff’s Looking For Freedom
In Part 3 of a survey of the complete musical works of Sir David Michael Hasselhoff, MATT KELLY dissects the risible Euro-’80s muck that constitutes Sir Hasselhoff’s possible nadir. - Win! Audio Art Interconnect Cables
Award-winning Audio Art Cables have hi-fi publications like Stereophile, Tone Audio and Audiophilia raving fulsomely about their sonic and aesthetic properties. Even sceptics will be surprised at the difference Audio Art Cables will make on their hi-fi system. Witchdoctor has an IC-3 Interconnect cable duo to give to one lucky audiophile. Every sign-up to Witchdoctor’s - I have Insecurities about AI Therapy
Do mental health apps really care or are they merely another way to exploit the vulnerable? ANNA BUTTERFIELD explored the issue and came away concerned. Let’s face it, our brains are messy. We worry, we stress, and sometimes, we just need someone to listen (preferably someone who isn’t going to judge our questionable life choices). - Wonderful wines and festive fizz
PHIL PARKER isn’t one to encourage the wanton consumption of fine grog but hey, we’ve all got to get through Xmas and New Year somehow! - Technics’ SL-1300G Turntable: a grand experience
GRANT FAMILTON gets to audition a truly special Grand Class turntable from Technics and decides that it would be the ideal Xmas present to himself. - Shark FlexBreeze fan: Cool, quiet and very capable
Sweating like a pig with the humidity of the New Zealand summer? PAT PILCHER is always searching for clever things and he’s found a fan that not only does what it’s supposed to but delivers some very clever extras. - JBL’s new home theatre receiver easy to set up and a joy to use
It can be daunting setting up and driving an AV receiver but PAT PILCHER discovers that JBL’s reimagining of the home theatre amp takes away the frustration and adds dollops of audio joy. - The looming greyhound welfare crisis
It looked like the Government had animal welfare in mind when it announced the decision this week to ban greyhound racing in NZ, but greyhound owner PAT PILCHER explains why it’s not quite that simple. - The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – anime excellence
ASHTON BROWN isn’t exactly a big fan of anime but this hand-drawn cartoon entry into the LOTR franchise gets his seal of approval. - Technics announces important firmware updates
Firmware updates give proud owners of recent Technics products direct access to Roon and Tidal. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now in NZ
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. Prime slices this month include The Penguin, A Man On The Inside and The Antisocial Network. - WiiM’s new digital hub is insanely great value
WADE BOOTH auditions the latest budget streamer from WiiM, a brand that’s taking the digital audio world by storm. - Nokia 2660: Digital detox done right
Ever wished you still had a mobile phone that was simply a mobile phone and not a portal to everything known to humankind and every other possible distraction? PAT PILCHER’s on the case. - From The Archives: Sly Dunbar talks
That time GARY STEEL chatted with drummer Sly Dunbar of the famed Jamaican rhythm section, Sly & Robbie. First, the story. After, the unexpurgated interview. - World’s Worst Records: Cattle Decapitation’s To Serve Man
MATT KELLY actually likes Cattle Decapitation but this early blunder is especially bad in a multitude of ways and is endlessly deserving of derision. - Galaxy Buds3 Pro: The Smartest Ear Gear Around?
PAT PILCHER discovers that Samsung has well and truly upped their game with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro wireless earbuds which sport superb sound and a treasure trove of clever features. - Bluesound Node Nano: Small size, small price, great sound
WADE BOOTH is a bit of a fan of Bluesound music streamers and their new Node Nano does everything right with a performance-to-price ratio that still astounds. - HoverAir X1 Flying Camera Drone: The perfect AI Camera Person?
Why leave video footage up to humans when a camera drone can do the work for you, superbly? PAT PILCHER discovers the joy of flying. - The Great Witchdoctor Q&A: Paul Quilter
For the best part of five decades, Paul Quilter has built a reputation as one of New Zealand’s most reputable hi-fi dealers/importers. Now on the cusp of retirement, GARY STEEL figured it was time to find out what makes the man tick. - A bright idea: Hue Go Portable Table Lamp
PAT PILCHER loves a bit of lighting ambience in his life and the latest Hue product from Philips proves perfect to add attractive ambience in an astonishing range of colour combos. - Let there be drums!
Six diverse percussion compositions performed by virtuosic musician Justin DeHart challenge common notions about the most primal of instruments. - Dell XPS 16 (2024): A Platinum Beast
The latest iteration of Dell’s XPS 16 is a sleek beast with an OLED screen and ample power writes PAT PILCHER whose only grumble is a keyboard that stumped his fat fingers. - Auckland-based hi-fi outfit JAVA Hi-Fi shines on world stage
Plucky Kiwi player JAVA HI-FI wins distribution in the US and wows the natives at two well-respected hi-fi shows in the US and UK. - World’s Worst Records: Alison Gold’s Shush Up
Gold’s follow-up to ‘Chinese Food’ was so regrettable and tasteless that she had to change her name, writes our dean of tack, MATT KELLY. - Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10+: is this the best tablet on the market?
Is Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S10+ the best tablet yet? PAT PILCHER is so enamoured with it that he gave it Witchdoctor’s top award. - The ATOLL SDA300: a French streaming amp that’s a real keeper
ANDY BAKER reviews lots of amps and he knows a great one when he hears it – in this case, a stylish French streaming amplifier that’s smoothly musical. - Heilung – A cyberpunk reimagining of ancient culture
Hardened atheist GARY STEEL attends bizarre show by German/Nordic group Heilung and has “spiritual” experience. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - World’s Worst Records: David Hasselhoff’s Lovin’ Feelings
In part 2 of a survey of the complete musical works of Sir David Michael Hasselhoff, MATT KELLY describes a truly horrible record. - Lenovo Legion Go: The handheld Xbox to rule them all?
While the world waits for an Xbox handheld controller Lenovo goes ahead and throws the Legion Go onto a hungry market. And, writes PAT PILCHER, it’s a doozy. - Wellington in the ’80s through the lens of an outsider music group
GARY STEEL reviews a new book that’s not only the story of an extraordinary band, label and scene, but an alternative history of Wellington in the 1980s. - Getting the brewing bug with Mangrove Jack’s starter kit
PAT PILCHER loves a good brew but not the cost and discovers that there is a cheap-skates way to save money and still get a tasty beer. - The new Surface Pro 11: a winner with a few serious caveats
There’s a lot to like about Microsoft’s svelte new Surface Pro 11 tablet/laptop but PAT PILCHER has a few niggles about the cost of necessary add-ons. - Dance around the world with Corben Simpson
He won a Silver Scroll award in 1971. He sang for Blerta. He recorded an album in bed. After more than 50 years Corben Simpson is finally on CD and fresh vinyl. GARY STEEL takes a listen. - Theophany’s Airo Loudspeakers are a sonic marvel
ANDY BAKER lives with a pair of gorgeous Theophany Airo loudspeakers for a few months and is blown away by their soundstage, dynamics and presence. - Goodbye Chromecast, Hello Google TV Streamer!
Time’s up for fiddly wee doodads like Chromecast writes PAT PILCHER, who is quite taken with both the aesthetics and abilities of Google’s new TV streamer. - 10 great documentaries on Neon right now
Sky TV’s Neon streaming service has got a cracker of a selection of documentaries at the moment. GARY STEEL reviews a sampling. - Technics’ SC-CX700: smart speakers for smart spaces
Lucky WADE BOOTH gets to preview the first ever Technics premium wireless speakers and check out just how smart they really are. - 10 (mostly Kiwi) wines you should try
When PHIL PARKER isn’t drinking and writing about it he’s taking avid drinkers on tours of Auckland wineries. Below is a superb selection of his current tipples. - Motorola’s Edge 50 Pro: a flagship smartphone in all but price
After auditioning Motorola’s snazzy new Edge 50 Pro PATRICK PILCHER wonders why the gadget-obsessed aren’t more keen on the impressive trickle-down technology of mid-price phones. - Win! A WiiM Ultra Network Music Streamer!
The WiiM brand is exploding the price barrier and amazing audiophiles with its brilliant-sounding and extraordinarily intuitive streamers. And now this, the WiiM Ultra, which offers amazing versatility with none of the connective barriers found in some other brands. The WiiM Ultra Network Music Streamer boasts premium 32-bit/384kHz ES9038 Q2M SABRE DAC and high fidelity - Synergy Audio Visual to launch New Zealand distribution with acquisition of key brands from PQ Imports
Synergy Audio Visual launches in New Zealand Distribution with key PQ Imports brands like Advance Paris, MoFi Electronics and REL Subwoofers. - Oz edition of The Office is basically Kiwi
ASHTON BROWN reviews the new, Australian version of perennial comedy favourite The Office and wonders if it should be viewed as a comedy genre rather than just a show. - Tech’s delusion of simplicity
We know how to push the right buttons on our shiny doodads but, asks ANNA BUTTERFIELD, do we know what’s going on under the dazzling exterior? - The format wars suck
GARY STEEL has been thinking about vinyl vs. streaming vs. compact discs (etc) and just wants it all to stop. - Samsung’s Galaxy Flip 6: Flipping brilliant
If you’ve been holding off until flip phones got so good that any flaws are negligible PAT PILCHER reckons that with Samsung’s Flip 6, there’s almost nothing not to like. Read his review below. - Who you jiving with that cosmic debris? Zappa’s Apostrophe (’) at 50
Frank Zappa’s most popular album gets a chunky six-disc elaboration. GARY STEEL wonders whether it warrants the attention. - Leave no online trace with Norton VPN
There are some compelling reasons for subscribing to a VPN, but what even is a VPN? PAT PILCHER reviews an especially reliable contender and explains its merits. - Samsung’s rugged new Ultra Watch on the test bench
PAT PILCHER tries Samsung’s rugged new smartwatch on for size and finds that this handsome beast has plenty to recommend it. - How to make Google Gemini the Default Android Assistant
PAT PILCHER takes Google’s new Gemini AI assistant for a spin and tells you everything you need to know to get this latest greatest app up and running on your phone. - World’s Worst Records – Alison Gold’s Chinese Food
Our expert on the worst of the worst, the honourable MATT KELLY, gets stuck into a very dubious release that verges on culturally insensitive. - Deebot X5 Pro Omni: so good it’s practically human
Our resident robot vacuum expert, PAT PILCHER, puts the latest AI-assisted cleaner through its paces and is astounded at its near-human ability to detect and banish the mess. - Megalopolis is a ghastly mess
ASHTON BROWN checks out legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola’s new opus expecting to be wowed, but gets annoyed and falls asleep instead. - Isthmus microbrewery: life begins at the hop
In this month’s Crafty Corner column, ASHTON BROWN discovers that his allergy wasn’t caused by beer after all and gets stuck into some super-fine brews. - Logitech’s Keys To Go 2: Is this the most portable keyboard ever?
PAT PILCHER gets his stubby fingers around the keys of the most portable keyboard yet and finds it a great travel companion. - Technics launches elegant wireless speaker system
Next month Technics will release its first-ever active wireless speaker system, the all-purpose plug-and-play stylish SC-CX700.
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