“25 Songs From 25 Years!”

Various artists

Hawaiian Express

Jason Miller started Hawaiian Express Records in 1995 to support Hawaii’s “underground” rock scene. Miller presented concerts by local underground groups and brought their mainland counterparts in to perform with them. He also recorded and released their music on cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs and even on “old-fashioned” vinyl records.

Hawaiian Express celebrated its 25th anniversary in March, and Miller commemorated that significant Hawaii record industry milestone with this 25-song sampler of his label’s catalog.

Two of the 25 groups — Go Jimmy Go and National Product — enjoyed well-earned success outside Hawaii. Several others made a name for themselves locally outside the intentionally publicity-shy “underground” scene. All 25 earn their places in this fascinating look back at 25 years of rock, punk and ska in Hawaii — and at the record label that supported them.

Visit hwnexp.com.

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“The Beauty of Mauna Kea”

Sandy “Storm” Essman

Tin Idol Productions

Sandy “Storm” Essman and Tin Idol Productions became one of the first island recording artists to step forward in support of TMT protests when they released a powerful reworking of Mickey Ioane’s classic mele ku‘e (song of resistance), “Hawaii ’78,” in August. Essman and Tin Idol founder Gerard Gonsalves reaffirm their support here with a beautifully neo-traditionalist arrangement of a song that Keola Beamer wrote and first recorded for Jack de Mello’s Music of Polynesia label in 1972. Essman’s remake also previews her next full-length album, “Renaissance,” where she will revisit other now-classic songs from the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s.

Gonsalves is the drummer on other Tin Idol projects. With no drums needed, he supports Essman on guitar, bass and keyboards.

For more information, visit reverbnation.com/sandystormessman.