Shifting Sands, Verdigirls

Dunedin, NZ’s The Shifting Sands started as a collection of songs written by Michael McLeod, after he decided to take a new direction from his previous band The Alpha State (who released an acclaimed album “Lines” on Failsafe Records in 2008). McLeod embarked upon making what began as a solo album, along the way collaborating with many of Dunedin’s finest musicians past and present, including David Kilgour (The Clean), Robert Scott (The Clean, The Bats), Robbie Yeats (The Verlaines, The Dead C), Lesley Paris (Look Blue Go Purple), Jay Clarkson (The Expendables, Breathing Cage), Rob Falconer (Operation Rolling Thunder), and Tony de Raad and Tom Bell (David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights).

“The debut album by The Shifting Sands is the kind of psychedelic pop we love at Fishrider Records, alternating between the dreamy and the urgent. While the hyper-melodic jangle-pop sometimes references the ‘Dunedin sound,’ the injection of synthesizer and sitar into the mix turns everything on its head. As indeed does the balance of extremes provided by the almost weightless floating-on-air of the title track ‘Feel’ against the surging Eastern drone-pop of ‘The Kitchen Sink.'” –Fishrider

Verdigrls is a indie pop trio comprised of sisters and vocalists Catherine and Anna Wolk and guitarist Rachel Rossen. What began as Catherine’s musings of isolation and nostalgia recorded in Anna’s college dorm in 2013, has grown up into a fully formed band. The foundation of the group is their penchant for conveying unapologetic feeling. Unprotected by alter egos or a “too cool” facade, sincerity is at the core of Verdigrls. Writing, recording and producing in Catherine’s bedroom, they entangle the artificial, synthesizers and electronic beats, with intoxicated guitar riffs and violin and cello, proving all three of their classical roots. Their sound both calms and leaves you uneasy. Their debut full length release is due out in late 2016.