An endless stream of new music is continuously escaping all round the world; this week I'll look at some coming from right here.

But first let me take a tiny bit of space to say two important things: washing your hands with soap and water is better than using hand sanitiser; face masks are a waste of time, forget 'em.

It's pretty embarrassing – if you believe the ‘national' papers – that New Zealanders' first reaction to an epidemic is panic buying, but particularly since most could have saved their money if they'd bothered to even become slightly educated.

Can I suggest you check the Radio New Zealand website (www.radionz.co.nz), look for National Radio and specifically the programme Saturday Morning. There you'll find a full interview titled Covid-19: Q and A with virologist Chris Smith.

It is Kim Hill talking to Dr Chris Smith, consultant virologist at Cam-bridge University and one of BBC Radio 5 Live's Naked Scientists, who answers listener questions about COVID-19.

It is factual, sensible and non-hysterical.

OK. Public service announcement over.

Now music.

It's pleasing to welcome another local album.

This is a piece of hardcore new-age folk from EmRiver called Heat To Heart. It has features unique to any album previously from Tauranga.

Or New Zealand as far as I'm aware.

Folky

First up, that description as ‘hardcore new-age folk'. It may be new for you. To explain, it ticks all the ‘hardcore new-age folk' boxes: acoustic stringed instruments, preferably obscure – check; willowy female vocals with female vocal harmonies – check; ‘woody' rippling percussion instruments – check; flutes – check; sound effects from nature – check; mention of dragons and fairies – I'm pretty sure they're in there somewhere...

So that's the territory we're in. Uniquely, most of the songs rest on a bed of either ngoni or saitenspiel. I think it's the former (an African stringed instrument dating back several centuries) but am not familiar enough with either to be definitive. Essentially it sounds like a small harp. EmRiver also plays various flutes, glockenspiel, guitar, djembe, percussion and melodica. And she wrote all nine songs on offer here.

They are mainly songs of affirmation, songs to inspire and encourage. 'Don't be afraid, you are strong” EmRiver sings on As It Must Be – other songs share similar positive sentiments.

Bluesy

Melodically they are very much in a lilting folk vein, with the odd venture into other styles. Coexist, at the halfway point, dips into the blues with a minor groove in the tradition of Chicago standard Help Me but by keeping the same instrumentation as accompaniment it provides a new context for the music and fits seamlessly with the folkier offerings. Melodica works well on it as a solo instrument, even hav-ing a slight echo of the more common blues harp.

There and elsewhere Mount Maunganui singer/musician AliceSea is on hand to provide harmonies. She also plays didgeridoo on two songs while Melissa Vanderspeck contributes bass and Fiona McClure and John Ellis both add djembe, making this the first album I've reviewed to feature three djembe players (It's an African drum).

Mischelle O'Donnell, who did the cover artwork, also plays percussion and, on a couple of tracks, putorino, the haunting Maori flute. That's on the final song, I Know You Care, which is sung in Te Reo Maori and there's something pleasingly inclusive about the fact that it features both putorino and didgeridoo.

Sound throughout is good - clear and honest – and I note that the CD was mastered by English guitar maestro Ken Nicol, for whom EmRiver played support when he was in Tauranga last year.

EmRiver, born in California but a long-time New Zealand citizen, has played at many festivals around the country including Corofest, Earthbeat, NZ Spirit Fest and Solrise. She has also taught music at Toi Ohomai (the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic), Technics Music Academy and MauaoPAC She is currently teaching in her own private music studio.

Heart To Heart is on Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube and the usual places, or you can get a physical CD by contacting EmRiver on Facebook.