The Response - NZ Alt/Pop DuoNew Zealand Alternative Pop duo The Response are back at it again with a new EP 'Little Worlds' out in June 2018. Their dynamic live show has allowed them to share the stage with such international acts as Baio (of Vampire Weekend fame), Deep Sea Diver (Seattle), Big Scary (Australia) and Kate Boy (Sweden).
After two years in Canada where they continued to work on new music and refine their sound The Response made their way back to New Zealand and have been releasing music ever since. Produced independently, all duties from writing, recording, mixing and artwork are undertaken by the resourceful pair. NZ Musician say they are "..indie pop at it's carefully crafted best.", Permanent Rain Press saying they "..offer a sense of cautious hope, one that brings nostalgic touches of loss, belonging and identity." and The Revue "the perfect demonstration of how subtlety can yield something infectious." 
New Zealand indie band The Response
|
 The Response / Christchurch Arts Festival '17
THE RESPONSE ARE:Andy Knopp - Guitar, Vocals, Loops |
The Response
Hannah McGowan Introduces The Response
www.theaudience.co.nz
She’s spanking that drum machine in tight, perfect harmony and he’s patting pedals left, right and centre, singing with all the sweetness of a humble local folk hero, perfect notes falling from his guitar like spring flowers.
There is something incredibly wholesome yet alluring about The Response, their purity tempered with Vic’s absolute badassery on Glockenspiel, bass synth and drums, complemented by a regal, statue-like demeanour. Andy is the extrovert of the pair, charming the audience with witty stage banter.
When they sing together, the harmony is searing. They are simple, understated, yet powerful. Unashamedly Indie-Pop, and damn good at it too, they prefer a “hands off approach to songwriting”, mastering the art of seeing what emerges without trying too hard. “The good thing about being an Indie band in Christchurch is that not a lot of people are listening to your music”, Andy laughs, “so we can do this for us, really”. He believes that the best songs come out when you are “less involved, when it feels like something is working through you”. Their jazz school background is revealed in immaculate and cunning composition, far more sophisticated and subtle than your usual pop facade. The delicate and complex guitar work is injected by off the grid drumming and adorable percussive variation. I hear Liam Finn, Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, and something new, something sweet, at times rocky, at times playful.
The production value on their new album North Of Nowhere is extremely high. I was surprised to learn it has been produced independently by this remarkable young couple that tackles everything from writing, recording, mastering and artwork. ‘No Way Out’ is a track that I have completely fallen in love with. It creates a ‘bubble’, a soothing, soul-warming haven from the chaos of the external world and it is gorgeous to come home to after a day full of jagged edges.
North Of Nowhere can be purchased via their website.
Be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for upcoming gigs.
- By Hannah McGowan
www.theaudience.co.nz
She’s spanking that drum machine in tight, perfect harmony and he’s patting pedals left, right and centre, singing with all the sweetness of a humble local folk hero, perfect notes falling from his guitar like spring flowers.
There is something incredibly wholesome yet alluring about The Response, their purity tempered with Vic’s absolute badassery on Glockenspiel, bass synth and drums, complemented by a regal, statue-like demeanour. Andy is the extrovert of the pair, charming the audience with witty stage banter.
When they sing together, the harmony is searing. They are simple, understated, yet powerful. Unashamedly Indie-Pop, and damn good at it too, they prefer a “hands off approach to songwriting”, mastering the art of seeing what emerges without trying too hard. “The good thing about being an Indie band in Christchurch is that not a lot of people are listening to your music”, Andy laughs, “so we can do this for us, really”. He believes that the best songs come out when you are “less involved, when it feels like something is working through you”. Their jazz school background is revealed in immaculate and cunning composition, far more sophisticated and subtle than your usual pop facade. The delicate and complex guitar work is injected by off the grid drumming and adorable percussive variation. I hear Liam Finn, Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, and something new, something sweet, at times rocky, at times playful.
The production value on their new album North Of Nowhere is extremely high. I was surprised to learn it has been produced independently by this remarkable young couple that tackles everything from writing, recording, mastering and artwork. ‘No Way Out’ is a track that I have completely fallen in love with. It creates a ‘bubble’, a soothing, soul-warming haven from the chaos of the external world and it is gorgeous to come home to after a day full of jagged edges.
North Of Nowhere can be purchased via their website.
Be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for upcoming gigs.
- By Hannah McGowan
The Response