Kaleidoscope World (The Chills song)

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Kaleidoscope World is an early song by The Chills, a New Zealand band. It was released in June 1982 as the first track on Dunedin Double, a Flying Nun Records EP that featured four Dunedin bands, including The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, The Stones, and The Verlaines.

The song was recorded in March 1982 in Christchurch, likely at Paul Kean’s house, using a lo‑fi four‑track setup. It was written by Martin Phillipps and performed by Martin Phillipps (guitar/vocals), Alan Haig (guitar), Frazer Batts (keyboards), and Terry Moore (bass). The track is built on jangly guitar over a bass pulse and light synth, and it helped define the “Dunedin sound.” It’s considered an early Chills manifesto and was produced by The Chills along with Doug Hood, Chris Knox, and Roger Shepherd.

Although not released as a single, Kaleidoscope World later became the title track of The Chills’ 1986 compilation Kaleidoscope World, which collected their early singles and EPs. A music video for the song, directed by Peter James, shows the band performing in an attic with a bubble machine.

The song’s legacy extends to 2021, when the title was used for a Flying Nun exhibition at Dunedin’s Hocken Library to celebrate the label’s 40th anniversary.