Dunedin rockers IVY bare all on their gritty debut album ‘Hush’
Rising alt-rockers IVY mark a major milestone today, with the release of their highly-anticipated debut album, Hush – a powerful collection of songs and a reminder that their hometown of Dunedin remains a hotbed of NZ talent.
Listen to Hush HERE
While there are clear nods to acts like Wunderhorse, Radiohead, Weyes Blood and Fontaines D.C., Hush makes space for IVY’s own voice, which is rooted in 90s alt-rock with touches of post-grunge, shoegaze and post-punk.
Hush sees the band pairing their signature sound with relatable lyricism, which invites the listener into their world. “Lyrically Hush moves through personal stories – death, distance, religion, falling in and out of love.”
With clarity in the writing and detail in the arrangements, Hush includes ‘Loon’ – a ‘love-hate’ letter to their hometown; as well as atmospheric and gritty tracks like Whispers and St John, alongside recently released Tall Grass.
Tall Grass holds your attention with a steady rhythm, spacious guitars, and vocals that carry a sense of restraint. You can feel the frustration under the surface.
“It’s a similar song to Loon, but less about the individuals of Dunedin and more about the aesthetic of the place. It’s inspired by the likes of ‘Skins’. It’s dark and beautiful all at the same time. The weather is harsh and exposing, which allows you to be creative, but it can have a negative effect. Simply the equilibrium of something beautiful.”
The release of Hush caps off a big few years for IVY, which is made up of James Axton, Jesse Hanan, Ocean Temple Wilson, Louis Stevenson, Connor Cooper. After earning a name for themselves on the local Dunedin scene, word has spread fast throughout the country and the band will hit the road for their biggest NZ tour yet.
The tour kicks off in Dunedin with shows at Pearl Diver on Friday October 3 and Saturday October 4 then an all-ages show at Pearl Diver on Sunday October 5; then Wellington at Meow on Thursday October 9, Auckland at Double Whammy on Saturday October 11, finishing up in Christchurch at Wunderbar on Friday October 17.
Get tickets to the tour HERE
IVY also performed at this year’s Going Global in Auckland, a conference attended by industry leaders from around the world and a festival, with a line-up that included some of the hottest new names in Aotearoa music.
“We are proud of how we cut our teeth. We simply didn’t have access to the corporate side of the music world. We practiced in our school hall, attempting to write music. We then moved to our bassist’s parents’ living room. Playing hours of nothing as long as it wasn’t a cover. We played way too many gigs that felt more like practices. We weren’t afraid of failing as there wasn’t much to lose. We raised the money for this record through our own path and as a result it feels more like a letter to the time we spent making it up along the way.”
Photo Credit: K Frost Photography
