New Zealand band Shapeshifter has been blending electronic soul with drum'n'bass to sellout shows in Europe, Australia and here at home for 16 years. Reporter Rhys Chamberlain chatted to vocalist P Digsss ahead of tonight's O Week show at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
It's -15degC on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, and Shapeshifter vocalist P Digsss is super excited.
"I usually go over here [Japan] every year to go snowboarding. We're just here to smash powder. We've just been boarding all day,'' he said.
Apart from the snow, he was super excited about two other things when he talked to the Otago Daily Times from his Japanese hotel room last week.
He was excited Shapeshifter's new album was going to be finished the following day and he was equally as excited the band was finally going to be back in Dunedin after a two-year hiatus.
"Dunedin next week is going to be a bloody good one,'' P Digsss (real name Paora Apera) said.
"We haven't played there for a long time and we don't really like not playing where we've had great times. We've had some epic shows there. We just like to come down there and get the kids to go crazy.''
Shapeshifter - comprising Dan McGruer (sax/keys/synths), Sam Trevethick (guitar/synths/sampler), Nick Robinson (bass/synths/ MPC), Darren Mathiassen (drums) and himself - was looking forward to getting back to Otago, he said.
"There's a beautiful charm about Otago,'' P Digsss said.
"I love Otago. I've just always had a great time down there.''
P Digsss grew up in Hawkes Bay, lives at Muriwai Beach but called Queenstown home for five years.
That's where he was introduced to DJ Downtown Brown, who in turn linked him up with Shapeshifter members in 2000.
"I've always been into music,'' P Digsss said.
"I've been doing music since I was 16.
"I was into heavy metal and rock but then drum'n'bass when I moved to Queenstown. I came in a year and a-half in - we've just been jamming ever since.''
The band formed in 1999 and found fame in Europe before most in New Zealand took any notice.
P Digsss officially joined the band in 2003.
"I've never been in any relationship longer than that,'' he said.
"Not much has changed from when I first started playing with Shapeshifter. I still have bouts of nerves and anxiety. It means that we're doing something right, that we care about it enough that it gives you butterflies.
"I'm still that same dude.''
Lauded for its fearsome live reputation both at home and around the world, Shapeshifter's Forsyth Barr Stadium show tonight would be no different, P Digsss said.
"That's the thing about O Week. You're playing to a lot of freshers. We find it really inspiring. We'll give them a taste of some real heavy instrumentation and we've got some new stuff as well.''
That new stuff was "set to drop'' in June in the form of the yet-to-be-named sixth studio album.
"Making albums is, I guess, like making babies, he said.
"They come from the same parents. They are reflections of your travels and your times. This album is like the joyous vibes of the other albums but it's a bit more grown up.''
Fans of the band shouldn't be worried it had gone away from its traditional sound, he said.
"It still has that definite, defined Shapeshifter sound. We know what Shapeshifter is known for. We try not to freak everyone out. But at the same time, we have to flex a little.''
There were no plans to stop making music as Shapeshifter any time soon.
"We'll be making music for a while. We do it because we love it.''
P Digsss had one final shout out to fans and freshers alike.
"We'll be going crazy.''
