A giant guitar at a music festival
A giant guitar is pictured during the Hellfest music Festival in Clisson, western France, June 20, 2014. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

The UK Music magazine NME has paid a glowing tribute on the influential Dunedin Sound, reported NZ Herald. The four page spread named 'Songs in the Kiwi of Life' profiles the famed indie pop music of New Zealand and also refers to the arrival of a new music.

The article recalls how the Dunedin Double EP on Flying Nun records spawned the Dunedin Sound tag that denotes trebly guitars and vocal layering of its proponents. It mentions bands such as The Chills, Look Blue Go Purple, The Clean, The Verlaines, The Bats, Sneaky Feelings, and Snapper as catalysts inspiring new music in the region.

City of Bands

The city Dunedin has been a fertile breeding ground for a new generation of bands with local label Fishrider Records coming of age to release its new title; Temporary - Selections from Dunedin's Pop Underground.

The owner of the label Ian Henderson says Dunedin has been consistent in making great music. That is why a whole lot of people think it is pretty amazing to be in Dunedin. The Vinyl reissues of the classic Flying Nun catapulted the city to global glory and brought into focus bands who wanted to ride on their own than being with the bandwagon of Dunedin Sound.

One is reason behind this revered detachment was the feeling that Dunedin Sound tag was a bit limiting and despite the faster recognition it brought it also linked them to the past.

Among the new breed, the online NME article '17 Dunedin Sound Classic Tracks' mentions two Fishrider bands - Males and Opposite Sex alongside The Dead C, Toy Love and Straitjacket Fits.

Cultural Capital

Richard Ley-Hamilton of Males say the term Dunedin Sound still carries a lot of cultural capital. People are still interested in what is coming out of this town based on its reputation of what happened some 30 years ago. Hamilton says the phenomenon has more to do with the DIY approach than the sound itself because not much of international acts came to Dunedin and it had to sustain itself.

Dr Graeme Downes, singer and the head of music in University of Otago said the DIY attitude still prevails in Dunedin and that reflects through the desire to create own music than playing the music of other people.