“It’s about finding sounds that enhance rather than distract. I like my guitar to sound big – I record through two amps at once”: New Zealand indie royalty Kane Strang on winning Dinosaur Jr.’s support and how he conveys Office Dog’s cinematic sound

Andrew Daly
·2 min read
Office Dog.
Office Dog.

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.

“Sounding vintage isn’t intentional,” Strang admits. “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 creating “uneasy” and “discordant” sounds is apparent. “I love to create tension and pretty yet dark songs. But I’m a sucker for a big outro and must force myself not to make every song erupt.”

Given Strang’s penchant for existing between bombast and restraint, Office Dog’s next mission of supporting the ever-angular Dinosaur Jr. in support of Spiel is well-timed.

I want to keep improving, and the best way, aside from writing songs, is to talk to people like J Mascis and listen

“It’s an honor,” Strang says. “We’re playing the Town Hall in Auckland, New Zealand. That’ll be huge. I hope to win new fans and not make their wait for J [Mascis] too painful. But I would love to meet J; I want to keep improving, and the best way, aside from writing songs, is to talk to people like J and listen.”

Strang likes to ping-pong between projects, so who knows what’s next for him. For the time being, he’s not looking beyond the task at hand.

“We went from nearly self-releasing Spiel to working with [Nashville and Athens, Georgia-based] New West Records,” he says. “So now I want to prove we’re not a one-trick pony – and that we have a lot more to say.”