Biography
In the wake of the Mint Chicks' 2010 dissolution, Kody Nielson formed Opossom to house his own songwriting. Still handling drums for his brother Ruban Nielson's band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the former Mint Chicks frontman wrote, produced, performed, and tracked a full album whose darker, moodier lounge textures diverged from his earlier output. While shaping the project he also served as collaborator and backup musician for onetime major-label pop star Bic Runga; once Opossom moved beyond bedroom recordings, Nielson recruited Runga to sing and play multiple instruments and completed the live lineup with former Mint Chicks bassist Michael Logie. The resulting debut LP, Electric Hawaii, first appeared on Dark Summer Records/CRS Records in April 2012 and was reissued by Fire Records that August.