Acoustic

For an introduction to Dave Edwards‘ acoustic music, start with the “yin”¹ half of the 2CD compilation:

“Double disc collection of more than two decades’ worth of live and studio-recorded tunes by Dave Edwards, who you may have heard recently as part of The Troubled Times with Antony Milton. It’s quite a diverse listen!

You get some concise and catchy pop songs, some full-on rockers, banjo excursions, improv freak-out, poetry, acoustic blues, folk songs, scrambled noise… there’s something here for everybody. A good intro to Dave’s dauntingly deep discography.”– Howard Stelzer, Noisy Bandcamp.

“Acoustic (Yin) boasts some wildly different tracks: the piano and birdsong of Tui and Grey Sky, the guitar, clarinet rain, and bucket of Classical Rain Bucket), song-length instrumentals (the gorgeous and floaty Kalbarri Coastline), and occasionally, songs too (the slithery, smoky, speakeasy feel of Cafes In Conversation, and the beautiful, emotionally-charged Paetumokai (Pua pua i te Kōanga).” –

“He doesn’t seem to so much want to push boundaries, as to act like he’s never heard of boundaries in the first place. At times soft and beautiful, at others dark and jarring, it makes for fascinating listening.” – Peter Malthus, muzic.nz

To dive deeper, more albums, tracks, and collaborations that are largely acoustic-based include:

Poems and Lyrics by John Collie (1856)

A folk-influenced adaptation of the book, written in 19th century Scotland by my great-great-grandfather:

(in the English

and Scotch Dialects).

“T’were a noble sight to see the mighty men of old, who bled that their countries might be free from the tyrants’ fatal hold – yet I’d deem it a nobler sight by far to behold the sons of the harp & lyre!” – John Collie

Ruasagavulu ka lima (Fiji, 2025)

Short acoustic instrumentals and Pacific islands tropical ambience – recorded in the Yasawa islands of Fiji.

The Troubled Times: Sanson & Woodville (2022)

An acoustic track by the otherwise-electric Wairarapa psychedelic rock trio, with Antony Milton (banjo), Dave Edwards (guitar) and David Heath (drums)

w/ snakebeings: Ruasagavulu (Fiji, 2020)

Semi-acoustic tropical psychedelia, recorded in Suva, Fiji with Dr Emit Snake-Beings (recorded in late 2019; mixed during 2020 pandemic lockdowns)

Live 2019

Solo acoustic set + an interview, live at Wairarapa TV and online

“Great skills and a refreshing beatnik sensibility – this is folk the way folk should be” – Andi Verse

in a wildflower state (Western Australia, 2013)

Recorded in Perth, Western Australia between 2012-2014. Mostly acoustic instrumentals, evoking the vast landscape of WA and its bogan culture.

The Winter (2003-2015)

This Wellington-based trio of Dave Edwards, Simon Sweetman and Mike Kingston played both acoustic and electric improvisations; the Shortest Days 2003-2015 compilation includes examples of both:

Articulation Incommunicate (2004)

Dictaphone cassette recordings – spoken word and improvised guitar, unfinished demos and notebook fragments. Wellington NZ, 2004; a journey down a road not taken for New Zealand music.

Loose Autumn Moans (2003)

All-acoustic songs orchestrated with a string section, no overdubs, made on analogue equipment in Wellington NZ and originally released on cassette, by Dave Edwards, with Sam Prebble, Mike Kingston, and Simon Sweetman (2003)

Live 1999

20-year-old Dave Edwards, opening for NZ legend Chris Knox; includes a mini-set of acoustic songs (tracks 8-10).

The Marion Flow (1999-2001)

Electric and acoustic songs, spoken word and instrumentals – an almost-recognised New Zealand classic.

Features Chris O’Connor, Paul Winstanley, Simon O’Rorke, Chris Palmer, Joe Callwood, the Digitator, Steve Duffels, Dean Brown, and Brian Wafer.

Made in New Plymouth

and Wellington

“It’s lo-fi, organic and about as eclectic as one could manage. Kind of reminds me of Nick Cave if he had grown up in Timaru. No pretentious American accents or catch phrase choruses, just a bunch of people making music. A little beauty!” – NZ Musician, August/September 2002

Scratched Surface (1998)

The debut album – a genuine lo-fi postpunk teenage singer/songwriter artifact from the ’90s Taranaki underground, by Dave Edwards with Tim McVicar (1997-1998)

“Worth searching out coz this lo-fi singer/songwriter oddball has a unique take on the genre – he’s happy to get raucous & obnoxious in just the right kinda way – Chris Knox

Gleefully Unknown: 1997-2005

A compilation of tracks from the early phase of my gloriously unsuccessful career.

Rough outsider folk-blues mysteries, dissonant rock textures, electric and acoustic improvisations… Edwards strikes me as one of the most overlooked musicians from the fertile lands of New Zealand, and if you need a fresh start this might very well be the place.” – Mats Gustafsson, The Broken Face

1. The title “Acoustic Yin, Electric Yang 1998-2023” reflects the duality and balance inherent in this musical journey. In Asian philosophy, Yin and Yang represent complementary forces that interact to form a dynamic system. Applying this to fiffdimension:
   Acoustic (Yin): Symbolizes the more introspective folk-influenced sides of the music, highlighting its organic and natural elements.
   Electric (Yang): Represents the dynamic, energetic, and expressionistic aspects, emphasizing the electrified and amplified components. ↩︎