If you’ve been anywhere near Rolling Stone AU/NZ since December, you’ll know that we’ve been extolling the quality of Ōtepoti Dunedin’s current music scene in our Scene Report series.
Now, Sivle Talk, Sogg, U-NO JUNO, and Vagina Dry, four of the best young bands from our Scene Report, are joining forces for a special release.
4EPS, out in July, follows the wonderful example of Flying Nun’s Dunedin Double EP, which introduced wider Aotearoa to The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, The Stones, and The Verlaines in 1982.
Just like that legendary release, 4EPS is essentially four individual releases packaged together, with each band given one side each. There’s Sivle Talk’s CRYBABY, Freezer Thaw by Sogg, U-NO JUNO’s you know, and a self-titled EP by Vagina Dry.
Befitting the city they hail from, all four bands recorded in true DIY fashion, with Sogg requiring an official week off from high school to record at Southlink Studios, a community space led by engineer/producer Nick Roughan.
While all four young bands are closely connected in their DIY ethos, listeners can expect excitingly varied sounds, from Riot grrrr throwbacks to gritty post-punk and the noises of noise-rock. Check out previous releases by all four bands below.
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4EPS is out physically via the nascent DUN Records on July 3rd, and can be pre-ordered via Relics in Dunedin.
Natasha Griffiths of DUN Records reflected on the importance of this release in a statement.
“This is the time where often young bands can end up in the wilderness years,” she said. “With no funding to release a record ‘properly’ or tour outside of their home town, things stagnate.
“While a bonus with playing all of the time means Dunedin’s artists are next level in their musicianship, there is a real chance that after a bit more time of playing the same venues over and over, some of these musicians may just end up being those people in the future reflecting on that nice time they were in a band when they were young.”
In a touching full circle moment, 4EPS is supported by the estate of the late, great Martin Phillipps, with his estate donating money to cover the upfront costs of mastering.
If you order the 4EPS vinyl, you’ll be in with a chance of winning Phillipps’ original Dunedin Double vinyl, kindly donated to DUN Records by his sisters.
What’s the North Island’s loss is the South Island’s gain, because the four bands are going to celebrate the release with a run of shows around the best half of Aotearoa, kicking off with a special double header in their hometown across July 3rd-4th (see full dates below).
4EPS is out July 3rd via DUN Records (pre-order here).
4EPS Release Shows
Featuring Sivle Talk, Sogg, U-NO JUNO, and Vagina Dry
Ticket information available here
Friday, July 3rd
Pioneer Hall, Dunedin (all ages)
Saturday, July 4th
The Crown, Dunedin
Friday, August 7th
Geraldine Cinema, Geraldine (all ages)
Saturday, August 8th
Space Academy, Christchurch
Sunday, August 9th
Space Academy, Christchurch (all ages)
