Dunedin City Council set to celebrate music compilation

The Dunedin City Council is set to celebrate a compilation album of contemporary new music from Ōtepoti Dunedin.

The Dunedin City Council project Ōtepoti Hou, which loosely translates to “Fresh Dunedin”, comprises 10 acts representing a diverse range of musical talent.

As part of NZ Music Month, the release will be celebrated by musicians, studio professionals, mentors, friends and whānau at a launch event at Burns Hall, Dunedin, on Friday 22 May.

The DCC’s Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships team, which is leading the initiative, invited music organisations and communities to recommend suitable artists. The final album listing was based on meetings and discussions with artists, assessing proposed tracks, and considering the best musical fit for the album.

The album artists are: Crash Out, Cuck, Dunedin Youth Jazz Orchestra, HŌHĀ, Keira Wallace, Scapegoat MERCY, Seek Help!, Suge Sound, Tough Guy and Turama Ite Ara.

The not-for-sale album will be available for download on Bandcamp. Following the official launch, project participants will receive a vinyl record, cassette and a zine publication. Archival copies of the release will be set aside for local and national collections.

Kāi Tahu artist and musician Madison Kelly has designed the album’s artwork and associated graphic material.

All project costs are covered by the Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships pre-existing budget and are expected to come in under $24,000.

The team at Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships says, “It has been wonderful to see this project come to fruition and the album line-up shows that music-making in Ōtepoti is diverse, alive and kicking.”

Building connections between different areas of the local music ecosystem was an important driver for Ōtepoti Hou, which satisfies key elements of the Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan, including providing rich learning, networking and professional development.

The album project was presented to the DCC-affiliated Music Advisory Panel in 2025 and members were in full support of the initiative.

University of Otago and Radio One staff, sound engineers, producers and music advisors have collaborated with artists to contribute to the success of the project.

Among the artists on the album, Cook Islands group Turama Ite Ara describes the opportunity as “humbling”.

“We have our own unique sound and our culture is one of a kind. It belongs to us as proud Cook Islanders but also represents our Pasifika people as well,” Turama Ite Ara member Teira Dean says.

“This project gives us a sense of belonging within the city. A lot of us are born and bred here, so being able to be part of the ‘New Dunedin Sound’ is awesome. It’s humbling to be able to be included among some of the talented artists Dunedin has to offer.”

Members of the Dunedin Youth Jazz Orchestra are also excited about the inclusion of an original composition, Sliding, on the album. The music was written by band director Bill Martin, with singer Maya Satake contributing the lyrics.

“The project is a great idea,” Mr Martin says. “It recognises all the diverse and wonderful music happening around Dunedin.”

Contributor Keira Wallace sums up their feelings about Ōtepoti Hou: “The compilation's aim to capture this city's diverse sounds made recording an incredibly rewarding experience.”

Another artist, Scapegoat MERCY, says the project provided him with the confidence to engage with music-making process in a fresh way. “Not only did it highlight resources I didn't know existed, but it also meant I could help others in the future without leaving Ōtepoti.”

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