Home-grown, rock group, High Dependency Unit (HDU) have once again made their mark on the New Zealand rock scene. After a four year recording hiatus the band have released their new album Metamathics, which with its collation of unique vocals and experimental guitar riffs, has received critical acclaim. Following in the wake of their self-produced hit single Tunguska (2006) which was channelled through their own record label Furthurist, Metamathics is a product of four years of creative innovation, single-handedly recorded and produced by drummer Dino Karlis and singer Bevan Smith.

Drummer Dino offers personal insight into the influences, experiences and incentives which have driven and shaped the band’s music. From HDU's hands on approach to making music, to Dino's views on the music industry, its clear why High Dependency Unit is not your average commercial, rock band.


What made you decide to independently produce and record Tunguska and is that why you created your own record label Furthurist?

We had always done things reasonably hands on. It was a natural progression and as we got older and more experienced, it just seemed like the right thing to do.
We created Furthurist as a channel for us to release our music and a way for us to put out records without any other involvement. It allowed us to have a hand on the whole process, from writing music all the way through to getting it into stores.


In your experience, do you think the music industry has changed over the last five years and if so do you think for better or for worse?

I don't think the industry has changed hugely. It’s easier to make music now and it’s really great that people are empowered to make music by the cheapness and ready availability of technology. Ultimately the industry itself doesn't interest me. What is interesting is the fact that people are making more and more music without having to rely on the industry. People have become independent of recording labels, recording studios, promoters and managers. They can now do it themselves, and in my opinion that's been the most interesting aspect of the industry which has changed over the past five years.


What kind of musical background does the band have?

None of us were child prodigies or out of the ordinary. I started the drums at age 14 and I might get murdered for telling you this, but Tristan and Neil were choir boys at school.


What artists would you say have been the most influential on your work?

I can't speak for the other band members I might get myself in trouble. For me personally, there have been a whole host of musical influences, a lot of sixties psychedelic rock, electronica music, nineties techno and New Zealand music from the 80's onward. We were teenagers in the 90's so I guess that was the time when a lot of music had a serious influence on us, however that continues. I find a lot of stuff that influences me now is in literature, sculpture and visual arts.


If you could collaborate with any New Zealand artist who would it be and why?

Len Lye. He has such a great sense of how shape, movement and sound go together.


Are there any prevalent themes or messages that you try to get across to your audience?

At the risk of sounding like a pretentious git, I think our music is getting more and more sculptural. It has become less and less about telling people things or communicating messages. It is more about being evocative, making people feel or view things in a different way or evoking and inspiring emotional responses. That can be different from person to person and that is why so often our lyrics have been quite obtuse or the vocals have been quite varied in their volume, as we don't really want to make anything too obvious.


What are the bands goals for the future?

We want to continue on our own path, doing things our own way as we have always done. It’s been a constant flow and evolution of us becoming more and more in control of our own music.



This year High Dependency Unit will continue to feature on New Zealand's rock scene, playing soon at Wellington's `San Fran Bathhouse' on the 15th of May, the `Kings Arms' in Auckland on the 17th of May and will be playing on the 29th of May at Dunedin’s `Backstage.' So, if you want a taste of kiwi, psychedelic rock, keep an eye out for their upcoming gigs.


By Emma King




Related artists: HDU

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