Guitarist/vocalist Tristan Dingemans, drummer Dino Karlins, and bassist/guitarist Neil Phillips formed HDU (High Dependency Unit) in their native Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1994. A trio respected from the onset for their ability to create dense walls of cathartic noise as well as engagingly sparse beauty, their material was normally the result of off-the-cuff jamming, edited later to retain the best moments for release. As there were no constraints with how a song should be presented in the live format, no two HDU gigs were alike. In that respect, they took many cues from the outer fringes of rock and jazz, retaining a slight degree of structure and the necessary discipline to prevent lack of control. The LPs Sum of the Few (1996) and Crosschannel Multitap (1998), as well as the EPs Abstinence: Acrimony (1995), Higher (1997), and Momento Mori (2000) were released on Flying Nun. A reissue of Higher, including bonus tracks of remixes also appeared in 1998. A successful fall U.S. tour (including dates with Shellac) increased their international exposure significantly. While in the States, the band recorded the full-length Fire Works with Shellac's Steve Albini. It was released in early 2001. ~ Andy Kellman