I'm really enjoying this new generation of young, confident voices in New Zealand music.

19-year-old Emma Logan, aka October, opened for 19-year-old Eddie Johnston, aka Lontalius, two weeks ago. They both seemed to arrive on the music scene fully formed, as if their growth as artists had been accelerated. As it turns out, they've both been making music for years -- they've just had the confidence to work steadily towards their personal sounds.

Single "Switchblade", dropped on Friday, is a demonstration of this confidence. Filled with dark, reverberated beats and industrial synths, the song is filled with bravado and sharp challenges to the listener. As she describes it herself on her Facebook page, "this song is a glare in the eye from me to you."

Recently I got a chance to ask Logan a few questions about her work.

Why ‘October’?

October is my birth month (which is the more boring answer) but I guess the reason why I settled on it was its androgyny. I didn't want a name associated with any gender simply to avoid prejudice of any kind prior to listening.

When did you first start making music?

I taught myself piano when I was 10 or so simply so I had something to sing along to. But I started taking music production seriously when I was 17 or so. It was this infectious and fascinating thing for me that consumed most of my senior years in high school.

Who were some of your early influences?

I grew up on 60's/ 70's Rock, with the likes of Pink Floyd, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin. I was attracted to the raw musicality of it all. The skill of the musician was what made a great artist. I think that's been somewhat lost today. I'm always attracted to artists who push boundaries which is why nowadays I enjoy listening to the likes of FKA Twigs, Arca and Death Grips.

I understand that you not only write and produce all your music, but you direct your music videos as well. Does having control of the visual medium help enhance or elucidate the ideas in your songs, or does it let you to expand their interpretations?

Music is just as much a visual thing as it is aural for me. Not so much synesthesia, but I accompany a very specific mental aesthetic to the songs as I create them. That's why it's so important that I'm able to have a strong hold on the visual content I provide with the song - I simply want people to see what I see when listening to it and to provide a second layer of information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbBwqTv9_Jk&nohtml5=False

Is there a ‘Switchblade’ video in the wings?

It is ready and waiting to seize your visual and auditory senses.

I saw you open for Lontalius, another 19-year-old kiwi up-and-comer. Would you say there’s a sense of community among young New Zealand artists?

Absolutely. I've experienced nothing but kindness and support from other young musicians. It's like a little club of strugglers trying to get by off the love of their art.

Your EP will be released next week. What can we expect?

You can expect a shudderingly nervous girl biting the remaining scraps of her fingernails off as she finally shares the Spotify and iTunes link. But you hopefully can also expect some phat synths and a lot of reverb.

October's EP Switchblade drops on Friday, April 22. You can find it via Spotify, iTunes, or her Soundcloud page.