The Dunedin Sound for Dummies

A beginner's guide to one of my favourite musical scenes.

This is a short piece I wrote recently as a submission for a fanzine centring around all things indie and post-punk. In future, I hope to write a more extensive piece for Dead Letter Offices dissecting the origins and creation of the Dunedin scene and Flying Nun Records. But for now, please enjoy this quick listicle!

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Depending on who you ask, the story of the Dunedin sound has seemingly no fixed origin point. For some, its beginnings lie in 1981, when a wide-eyed music fan by the name of Roger Shepherd decided to start his own independent record label, Flying Nun Records. For others, its roots lie in the DIY frenzy of punk and the freedom in starting a band once you’d learned how to form three chords. You might even argue that the Dunedin sound’s genealogy can be traced back to ‘60s records, from the sweetness of bubblegum pop to the rawer sounds of garage rock. But there are also many - some in the scene itself - who believe that the Dunedin sound doesn’t even exist. So, just what the hell is it?

The Dunedin sound is the name given to a wave of indie pop and alternative rock bands that emerged from the sleepy student town of Dunedin, New Zealand, in the early 1980s. It’s often synonymous with the Flying Nun record label, which championed Dunedin artists during this time and continues to do so. Quintessentially indie, the Dunedin sound is very much defined by its jangly, droning guitars, indistinct vocals and homegrown production. One might liken Dunedin to the Athens, GA of New Zealand; however, it’s never really achieved a similar level of recognition despite its exports being cited as an influence from the likes of REM. Its pioneers wouldn’t be out of place on the C86 tape or on a Postcard Records compilation, but groups like The Chills and The Clean still remain incredibly underrated. 

Nowadays, first printings of Dunedin band records can go for a pretty penny - good luck getting your hands on a copy of the Dunedin Double EP (1982, Flying Nun) in your local second hand record shop. Plenty of singles start at a minimum of $100 AUD and the prices only get more eye watering from there. Fortunately, we live in an age of technology and streaming services are at our fingertips. Additionally, many of these bands are still touring and you can go see them (because there’s absolutely nothing better than supporting live music). If you’re interested in dipping your toes into the Dunedin sound waters, may I suggest the following few tracks…

Five Places to Start With the Dunedin Sound

1. Pink Frost by The Chills

To me, ‘Pink Frost’ encapsulates the Dunedin sound. Dark yet beautifully poignant, the song tells of a man who has awoken to find he has strangled his lover in his sleep. Much like the track’s narrator, The Chills have been plagued by misfortunes of their own - namely, their shifting lineup. In what has been dubbed ‘the curse of the Chills’, the band has seen over twenty different personnel lineups, with founder Martin Phillipps being the only constant. Nevertheless, The Chills have produced some of Flying Nun’s most gorgeous, melodic work, combining pop sensibilities with DIY punk ethos. This song also comes with a bit of music trivia, too: ‘Pink Frost’ was covered by The House of Love in the early ‘90s as a B-side to the song ‘The Girl With the Loneliest Eyes’.

2. Point That Thing Somewhere Else by The Clean

In many ways, the Clean are the quintessential Dunedin sound band. One of a handful of artists on Flying Nun’s initial roster, they inspired many sweater-vest-wearing, plimsoll-sporting New Zealand youths to form their own band down the track. ‘Point That Thing Somewhere Else’ is a fan favourite, crashing into a five and a half minute psychedelic drone. Its fervent beat and hypnotic melodies grip the listener’s attention while David Kilgour’s vocals float over the top. Maybe not their most accessible track, but nevertheless an outstanding one.

3. Death and the Maiden by The Verlaines

If you are in the market for something more accessible, ‘Death and the Maiden’ is a good place to start. If it wasn’t obvious by their name, the Verlaines are a bookish bunch; frontman Graeme Downes holds a PhD in the symphonies of Gustav Mahler and has gone on to become a senior lecturer at the University of Otago. Despite this, ‘Death and the Maiden’ is a tongue in cheek jangle pop ditty, name checking not just Paul Verlaine but Arthur Rimbaud as well. 

4. Circumspect Penelope by Look Blue Go Purple

From French poets, we now move into even deeper bookish territory with ‘Circumspect Penelope’, a reference to The Odyssey by Homer. A great deal of Dunedin bands were inspired by ‘60s artists, and this song unabashedly wears its influences on its sleeve. Combining jangly guitars with swirling keys, ‘Circumspect Penelope’ is a lovely little slice of psychedelia, yet all the while spinning a lyrical tale that sympathises with the character of Penelope and her endurance. Look Blue Go Purple are a Dunedin sound standout in that they are one of the few all-women groups in a very male dominated scene, both in Dunedin and in the indie world at large. There is a playful element to their music that many of their contemporaries lack, and they are truly an underrated gem in the Flying Nun catalogue.

5. She Speeds by Straitjacket Fits

After all these jangly guitars and literary references, the Dunedin sound could come across as somewhat twee. But Straitjacket Fits are one of the groups who brought a harder, grittier edge, ditching the knitwear for leather jackets. Formed out of the ashes of another Dunedin band, The DoubleHappys, the ‘Fits were initially dominated by the “raucous” songwriting of frontman Shayne Carter. ‘She Speeds’ is a prime example - a real live wire of a song, the guitars build tension until they explode into a soaring chorus. There is a practically palpable energy to this track that reflects the narrator’s burning desire for the titular ‘she’ - a desire that almost seems to be eating away at him.