Archive

The Phoenix Foundation - Tom's Lunch EP

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Rating: A- In the fall of 2013, New Zealand pop heavyweights The Phoenix Foundation released their sprawling double album Fandango to widespread acclaim. The album featured two drummers, with longtime member Richie Singleton leaving the band in the midst of making the album to focus on Read more...

Artist Profile: Millie Lovelock

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Millie Lovelock is one part of space-pop duo Astro Children and also my bandmate in Trick Mammoth. This year she travelled to Montreal as part of the University’s exchange programme. An influential presence on the Dunedin music scene, I asked Millie some questions about her trip and what we can Read more...

New this week / Singles in review

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Quirke - Break a Mirrored Leg “Break a Mirrored Leg” is the lead single from the British producer’s debut EP Acid Beth. A swirling mish-mash of sounds, like machine parts. The track blends driving rhythm with well-executed dynamics. The result is a cold, dark soundscape which is Read more...

Child of Light

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Rating: A- The gaming industry was born in Japan, and there it lived for several decades. But it wasn’t long before western developers began to spring up by the handful, and now the power has shifted and the bulk of development happens in western countries. Because of these distinctions in Read more...

Corn Fritters

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Sophie Edmonds

In my third year, if our flat was a country, its national dish would have been corn fritters. Corn fritters for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Last year I came home rather drunk, tripped over my feet and left my knees outside on the concrete. The first thing to come to my attention was not the Read more...

Transcendence

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Sydney Lehman

Rating: B Transcendence raises a lot of questions. Why was no one prosecuted for the excessive law breaking? How did the terrorists and the FBI become buddies? Why am I so bothered by the slow-mo shot of water droplets falling off a sunflower? Johnny Depp is the smartest computer geek Read more...

Bad Neighbours

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Rating: B It’s been 20 years since the heyday of the Frat comedy, but it seems that this genre is without a bottom. Bad Neighbours tells the story of a married couple Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) who have just had their first child and bought a house, when a frat moves in next Read more...

The Fly (1986)

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Cult Film Cast your minds back, to a time before computers, when filmmakers where stretching the minds and imaginations of millions of moviegoers without the help of CGI. It’s getting harder and harder to remember such a thing, especially as such effects become cheaper and easier for any Read more...

Sunshine on Leith

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Rosie Howells

Rating: B+ You may know the Proclaimers as those Scottish guys who sang “I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more, just to be the man who walked a thousand miles before I’m at your door.” Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Turns out they have heaps of other songs, and are really Read more...

Street Style | Issue 12

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Helen & Grace

Gabby (studying Bachelor of Arts) - is wearing Nike shoes, Topshop pants, AS Colour top and H&M shirt. Chris (studying microbiology and textiles) is wearing Nike shoes and pants, Our Legacy jersey, Shades of Grey jacket, Norse Projects hat and Deadly Ponies bag. Read more...

The Observer - How to dress sporty casual

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Emma & Liam

As New Zealand’s future academia, you may have thought that there was absolutely nothing that you could stand to learn from the desperate housewives of New Zealand. However, it is a truth that if we did not have housewives, we would not have sporty casual; and if we did not have sporty casual, we Read more...

Cross Fingers

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Bridget Vosburgh

Cross Fingers is a thriller by Paddy Richardson. The tagline says that Cross Fingers is, in fact, psychological crime fiction, but I don’t feel that the pacing gives you time to stop and think. So thriller it is. One Rebecca Thorne, a not too hard-assed, plucky reporter lady who gets sexually and Read more...

Belonging

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 18th May 2014 by Hannah Collier

Dunedin Public Art Gallery Exhibited until 31 March 2015 The Dunedin Public Art Gallery’s Belonging displays a privately owned collection of works that features various artists (national and international) whose work is both bold and rich in religious references, symbolism and iconography, Read more...

Interview: Wendy Syfret - Editorial Coordinator at Vice

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Loulou Callister-Baker

Can you describe what your current role as Editorial Assistant at VICE involves, in both its local context and globally? I was actually bumped up to Editorial Coordinator last year so my job involves a few facets. I manage the website, monitor traffic, commission and edit pieces, write them Read more...

Download of the Week: Opposite Sex - Opposite Sex (NZ)

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Based in Dunedin, Opposite Sex combine noise-pop and no-wave elements by blending percussive bass playing, furious drumming and menacing guitar work. This self-titled debut was recorded when the band first moved down from Gisbourne, and features the noodly guitar playing of “Fergus.” 13 tracks Read more...

New this week / Singles in review

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Ought - Habit “Habit” is the lead single by Montreal-based band Ought, from their debut album More Than Any Other Day. A mixture of art-punk, ‘90s looseness and classic emo tendencies. Singer Tim Beeler sounds like Ian Curtis singing a Pavement song. In a good way. Alex G - Read more...

Artist Profile: Sherpa

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Auckland powerpop group Sherpa hit ReFuel on 30 May. With their new album Blues and Oranges set to be released soon, Adrian Ng caught up with frontman Earl Ho. You released your previous album, Lesser Flamingo, in 2012. What have you guys been up to in between then and preparing for this new Read more...

Goat Simulator

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Rating: B There are a ridiculous number of simulation games. Some of them you would have heard of and played, such as The Sims, and maybe even games such as Roller-coaster Tycoon or Zoo Tycoon. For the more hardcore simulation fans there are even games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, Read more...

Baked Rice Pudding

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Sophie Edmonds

Winter is coming! Therefore, so too is pudding season! The smell of rice pudding baking in the oven reminds me of my childhood, but also of my first year at Carrington. I swear the abundance of rice pudding there was fully responsible for my fresher five. I spent the Easter weekend helping my Read more...

Divergent

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Rosie Howells

Rating: B+ I have to admit, my expectations were not soaring for Divergent, as all the pre-release chatter seemed to indicate it was some kind of poor man’s Hunger Games but with way more leather jackets. Although this is partly true (so many cows died in the making of this film), I have to Read more...

The Other Woman

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Ashley Anderson

Rating: A- Cheating, lies, and a whole lot of mischief goes down in this highly-anticipated chick flick of the year. The Other Woman tells the story of Carly (Cameron Diaz), a high-rolling lawyer in NYC who thinks she’s found the man of her dreams in smooth-operator Mark (Nikolaj Read more...

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Rating: B+ After Toby McGuire successfully managed to flush the Spider-man franchise down the toilet in 2008, I was grateful to see the character successfully rebooted in 2012 with The Amazing Spider-man. Thankfully, director Mark Webb has continued to grow the Spider-man character and Read more...

Half a Yellow Sun

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Sydney Lehman

Rating: A I do not know what war means. I say this with as much education on the subject as the average person. I understand it in theory, but emotionally – the reality of being prepared to flee for my life at a moment’s notice, an air raid bomb about to go off next to me, losing my friends, Read more...

Street Style

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Emma & Liam

Kate (Marketing and Communications) - Bassike striped top, dress from Australia, Stylestalker cardigan, Karen Walker bag. Campbell (Commerce) - ASOS shoes, Thingthing trackpants, RPM t-shirt, Longlost hoodie, Stark Bros Ltd. beanie. Read more...

The Observer - The new essentials for guys

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Emma & Liam

While the best-before date on food packaging may be a mere guideline, the best-before date on clothing is as mandatory as the Crimes Act 1961. Unfortunately, men are notorious for overestimating the length of time that they may wear a single item of clothing with pride. We at the Observer advise all Read more...

American Skin

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Mandy Te

In 1998, Don De Grazia released his critically acclaimed debut novel American Skin. It is described as an American classic and a powerful coming of age novel. The thesis-turned- popular-book process was like a recipe. All De Grazia had was a dash of luck, a cup of talent and 75 dollars to make this Read more...

Zine of the week | Issue 11

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Jacobin

Pamphlet published by See Sharp Press First published in Australia by Libertarian Socialist Organisation, 1979 Spray-paint did not cripple the World Trade Organisation in Seattle. The 11 September terrorist attacks did not bring down the United States. The bombing of Greenpeace’s ship, Read more...

The Cubic Structural Evolution Project

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 11th May 2014 by Hannah Collier

Dunedin Public Art Gallery Exhibited until 3 august 2014 Everything is so much better when you can touch it. I’m really enjoying the participatory installations that have been at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery recently. Playing with Seung Yul Oh’s “Oddooki” (those performance sculptures Read more...

Interview: Jerome Cousins - Improsaurus

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Zane Pocock

Give me a quick background of Improsaurus! We are a local Dunedin improv group that performs fortnightly shows at the Fortune Theatre Studio. We have been there for a little over the last two years, and then two years before that at various venues around Dunedin ‘til we got offered the space Read more...

The Horrors - Luminous

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Rating: B+ In 2007 The Horrors stormed to fame with Strange House, a gothic garage punk album. They were by all means a personification of their sound, dressed in black, dolled with eye-liner, and with haircuts resembling the Addams Family. In 2009 a surprising thing happened. The Horrors Read more...

Thee Oh Sees - Drop

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Rating: A- Around five to six months ago frontman Nick Dwyer announced that Thee Oh Sees would be going on a small hiatus. Having released an eye opening eight studio albums between 2008 and 2013, not to mention a boat load of EPs and singles, how could anyone really blame the group? Well, Read more...

T54 - In Brush Park

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

T54 are an alternative, garage band hailing from Christchurch. Released late last year, In Brush Park features intricate yet menacing, textural guitar playing with washed out vocals and a propulsive rhythm section. The result is a solid ten songs, which range from atmospheric and melodic pop to Read more...

New this week / Singles in review

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Movement - Ivory Melbourne trio Movement release yet another single following the hypnotic “Like Lust.” Starting of with a haunting sample, almost resembling a sighing ghost, “Ivory” is built around soulful vocals, a blaring yet subtle bass groove and minimalist drum beats. The track Read more...

Beck - Morning Phase

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Adrian Ng

Rating: B+ In 1993 Beck Hansen released his first album Golden Feelings; 21 years later he remains a quiet force in alternative music. Renowned for his ability to splice different genres into one cohesive vehicle of expression, and his knack for branching out in different directions with each Read more...

Ether One

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Rating: B- The last few years have seen a growing trend towards the innovative genre of first person exploration games, receiving a deluge of fabulous games such as Dear Esther, The Stanley Parable and the glorious Gone Home. This genre allows developers to create games that are focused on Read more...

Moussaka

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Sophie Edmonds

So, looks like winter is no longer coming and is, in fact, here. I have decided to treat you with a slightly more interesting, but still comforting, alternative to the well-loved lasagne. Moussaka, a dish of Greek and general Mediterranean invention, comprises of a tomato-based lamb mince Read more...

Little Rascals (1994)

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Rosie Howells

Classic Film The one glimmer of light in the otherwise horrid time period that constitutes the school holidays is that general access television plays impeccable children’s films (I use the term “children” very lightly). Nothing could have soothed my pain of riding on a bus full of fondling Read more...

The Lego Movie

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Sydney Lehman

Rating: B+ LEGO: “a construction toy consisting of interlocking plastic building blocks.” Riveting. But seriously, within the parameters of what is and is not possible to do with LEGO, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller created what was actually a very delightful film. These two appear to be a Read more...

Like Father, Like Son

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Rating: A+ Set in Japan, Like Father, Like Son tells the story of two families who, after raising their sons for six years, discover that their children were switched at birth. This revelation poses the families with a number of seemingly unanswerable questions: What makes someone family? To Read more...

Muppets Most Wanted

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Ashley Anderson

Rating: A+ After securing their studio back in The Muppets (2011), the loveable Muppet crew are back for another whirlwind musical adventure. Kermit (as himself, obviously) and the gang start their world tour with new manager Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais). Alas, Dominic is revealed to be a Read more...

Street Style

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Emma & Liam

Mitchell (Law and Commerce) - Mr Simple Jacket, AS Colour t-shirt, Neuw jeans, Rivers shoes, Happy Socks and Herschel bag Jessie (Zoology) - Bassike t-shirt, Cheap Monday jacket, Twenty Seven Names pants, Lucy Folk necklace, Converse shoes. Read more...

The Observer - New essentials for girls

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Emma & Liam

There is no denying that “course-related costs” is a gloriously ambiguous term. We here at The Observer consider it to mean all costs associated with looking fresh to death. Therefore, assuming that you have not already spent the entirety of your course-related costs on Jagerbombs at Fever Club, it Read more...

The Wasp Factory

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Bridget Vosburgh

Iain Banks, who died in 2013, published his sci-fi novels under the name Iain M. Banks (I assume the M is short for Master of Science). People persist in regarding this as a genuine attempt at a cunning disguise with Superman levels of hilarious failure going on, rather than a straightforward Read more...

Zine of the week - Marrow Zine

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Sam Allen

Edited by Hana Aoake Drawing and text Marrow is a largely Dunedin-based zine whose pages are filled with content from New Zealanders. The one I am looking at here was just sent to me and is from Winter 2012. I recall going to the launch of this Winter issue, which had rad bands, balloons Read more...

For whom the wind blows

Posted 4:20pm Sunday 4th May 2014 by Hannah Collier

Brett McDowell Gallery Exhibited until 15 May 2014 “At art school we learned discipline, based upon constant immersion regarding things visual. We wanted to ‘know’ beyond social intercourse ... Art school really was the foundation of everything that has happened to me after I graduated in Read more...

Interview: Boots Riley

Posted 1:58pm Sunday 27th April 2014 by Olivier Jutel

On 16 and 17 April, political activist and rapper Boots Riley visited Dunedin to give a public lecture and acoustic performance. Radio One’s Olivier Jutel caught up with Riley for a post-lecture, pre-gig discussion. Kia ora, good morning Boots! Kia ora, what’s happening? Hey. Read more...

Elbow - Take off and landing of everything

Posted 1:58pm Sunday 27th April 2014 by Richard Ley-Hamilton

Manchester quintet Elbow have cut a unique musical path over their near two decades of output. With their characteristic fusion of orchestral stylings and progressive rock, Elbow bridges the precarious gap between the classical and the contemporary: operatic and atmospheric yet concise with Read more...

New This Week / Singles in Review

Posted 1:58pm Sunday 27th April 2014 by Adrian Ng

Percussions - Ascii Bot Percussions is another alias of Kieran Hebden, also the mastermind behind electronic project Four Tet. With Percussions, Hebden seems to approach electronic music from more of a minimalist standpoint. “Ascii Bot” spans eight and half minutes, but is constructed Read more...

Woods - With light and with love

Posted 1:58pm Sunday 27th April 2014 by Adrian Ng

What if Neil Young fronted an indie folk band? Good news everyone! Look here, Woods. They’re talented too. They write some catchy alternative country songs, most of them on the sentimental side. They have their nine minute jammy epic, they have their two minute pop treats, they have the sweet and Read more...

The Elder Scrolls Online

Posted 1:58pm Sunday 27th April 2014 by Baz Macdonald

Disclaimer: Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are immense games, containing content enough for, theoretically, years of gameplay. As such, this review is not comprehensive, but rather a review of the experiences I have had with it in its first few weeks of being live. Read more...