Dunedin four-piece the Violet Oh's are bringing together the sound of two of the members' previous projects, and the results are extremely promising.
Nick Tipa (vocals) and bandmates Josh and Zac Nicholls (drums and guitar) and Connor Blackie (bass) were previously members of two quite different local bands, A Distant City and Ruby Phantoms.
A Distant City played heavy expansive post-rock which was often awe-inspiring (as their great half-released ''lost'' album Alpaca Suitcase attests to), while Ruby Phantoms had more of an early 2000s British influence.
Think Arctic Monkeys, the Kooks, or even the Chelsea Dagger stomp of the Fratellis.
And without pigeonholing the band, the new music does really sound like a great fusion of its two predecessors.
''What we've been saying is, it's basically Ruby Phantoms but tighter, or A Distant City without the pointlessly difficult bits,'' Tipa says.
''The main thing really is that we really want music that people can dance too.
''You get bored and want to do the exact opposite but with two bands there hasn't really been an exact opposite to go to, so we've just gone towards a middle point.''
As I interview Tipa, his bandmates are laying down demo instrumentals in the adjoining room.
It makes concentrating hard, as my ears are drawn to Josh Nicholls' thundering drum fills, and the dancing and chiming guitar parts of Zac.
As a vocalist, Tipa has made the decision to forgo playing guitar in the band, to act as a stand alone singer and frontman, something of a rarity in Dunedin indie music.
Without the barrier of a guitar he's left to shyly sway on stage, gripping the microphone, hair in his eyes as he looks at the immense line of pedals he now uses to manipulate his vocals.
''The decision came from the realisation that I kind of suck at guitar compared to Zac,'' Tipa laughs.
''I'm a far better singer than I am a guitarist, and I wanted the chance to experiment with that.
"I've been listening to a lot of more electronic music this year; stuff where people just go to the maximum with their vocals ... it's cool how it can change a song so much. It can change the feel of the entire band.''
Tipa sounds confident and full of belief in the new project, talking with passion about his hopes for the band in a way that's both contagious and admirable.
''I'm so excited for our next gig. I can't wait to show everyone what we've been doing really.
"A lot of people have been loving the new sound. It's really nice to get that feedback so early on.
"This is a second start, we know a few things now, and we feel like we can probably do OK with this thing. It's nice.''
• Respected New Zealand Roots outfit TrinityRoots plays at Re:Fuel next week.
The Wellington foursome formed in the late '90s, and quickly grew a loyal fan base, with their emotive and introspective local reggae sound putting them at the front of the rise of the Aotearoa roots movement.
After a five-year hiatus, the band re-formed in 2010, and is performing in Dunedin before heading back to the studio to record a third studio album.
Be there
• Violet Ohs, with The Canals and guests, Saturday, September 20, at Re:Fuel, $5 on the door, from 9pm.
• TrinityRoots, Friday, September 12, at Re:Fuel. Presales $30+bf from eventfinder.co.nz or $35 on the door, from 8pm.
