Die! Die! Die!

Dunedin, New Zealand gave rise to the abrasive noise pop trio Die! Die! Die!, who remain anchored in this longstanding hub of independent music that has defined the Kiwi pop landscape since Flying Nun Records emerged in the 1980s. Their hardcore punk foundations align with the confrontational band name, yet singer and guitarist Andrew Wilson’s agitated vocal approach and jagged, slashing guitar lines draw direct inspiration from Big Black—whose leader Steve Albini produced the group’s self-titled debut—and from the New York no wave bands of the late 1970s. The exceptionally locked-in rhythm section of bassist Lachlan Anderson, who succeeded original bassist Henry Oliver, and drummer Michael Prain instead reflects the danceable neo-funk lineage of Gang of Four and A Certain Ratio. The band’s first album, Die! Die! Die!, surfaced in New Zealand during fall 2006 and was quickly followed by the four-track EP Locust Weeks, consisting entirely of new songs. The self-titled album reached American listeners on the SAF label in early 2007.