FROM MELODIES TO OFF-KILTER RIFFS TO THE OCCASIONAL WALL OF SOUND, NEW ZEALAND INDIE VETERAN KANE STRANG DELIVERS THE SIX-STRING GOODS ON HIS TRIO’S DEBUT
By Andrew Daly
NEW ZEALAND NATIVE Kane Strang has been around for a bit, having released his debut, A Pebble and a Paper Crane, in 2013. Since then, he’s continued releasing records, some of which are so indie you’d be hard-pressed to find them.
But if you’re a newcomer, the name of Strang’s game is creating all-consuming music via crunchy chords and fuzzy acoustics. “It’s about finding sounds that enhance rather than distract,” he says. “I like my guitar to sound big and wide, and I record through two amps at once, panning them in the mix.”
It seems that methodology was applied to Office Dog — a band featuring Strang (guitars), Rassani Tolovaa (bass) and Mitchell Innes (drums) — and their new album, Spiel, which showcases vintage-sounding cuts like “Shade” and “The Crater.” By the way, “sounding vintage isn’t intentional,” Strang says. “But we do record with vintage mics in the same room, which leads to a warm, nostalgic sound.”
In terms of gear, Strang tend to stick with some old favorites. “I’ve been using the same two guitars for a decade,” he says. “I’ve got a Fender Strat from when I was 16 — and a Larrivée acoustic. They lend themselves to my love of uneasy-sounding chords and discordant notes.” Listening to “Hand in Hand,” which Strang says best demonstrates his style, the joy in
