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At any point in time Alphabethead finds himself adrift in the musical cosmos, somewhere between the constellations of Hip Hop, Electronica and Experimental Rock. At the age of 18 Morrison won the 2002 New Zealand DMC DJ Championship and this title sent him performing across the globe.

Over the next twenty years he would go on to make six albums as Alphabethead, five albums as one third of cult genre-shredders The All Seeing Hand and two records as half of the psychedelic Hip Hop duo Bad Taste alongside Young Gho$t. Morrison also contributed production or turntable scratching for Home Brew, Tourettes, Benny Tones, Death & The Maiden, The Etymologists (featuring Richard Nunns and David Long (The Mutton Birds) and The Village Of The Idiots (a modern jazz ensemble led by Anthony Donaldson (The Front Lawn, Six Volts, Primitive Art Group)). His musical prowess has led to tours through Aotearoa, Australia, UK and China and performances at festivals like WOMAD, Splore, Laneway and Camp A Low Hum.

With his last single ‘No Control’ currently sitting at #1 on Radioscope’s Alternative Airplay Chart, Alphabethead crops back up with ‘Finger Dance’ and announces a six date tour of Aotearoa with Displeasure and Birdparty (tickets available now from Undertheradar.co.nz). ‘Finger Dance’ is the final single from Alphabethead’s new album My Name Is David which will be released digitally, on cassette and long sleeve tee on October 31, 2025 via Sunreturn.

Through rusty tambourines, dubbed snares and ominous synths conjured by playing a Mellotron with clenched fist, ‘Finger Dance’ sees Alphabethead continue to explore the themes of free will and determinism.

“I hope the ‘Finger Dance’ evokes imagery of an ‘omnipresent’ puppet master observing and guiding all things” imagines Morrison. “My intent was to conjure a soundworld that feels rigid and oppressive; but leaves small cracks through which flourishes of freedom and improvisation emerge. For ages the song was just that super repetitive, walking bassline. I looped it for hours, totally zoning out on edibles – as I listened my mind flooded with imagery of puppetry and colossal fingers above in the clouds.”

“One of the techniques of Turntablism is called tone-play where long notes are contorted into melodies through speeding up or slowing down the turntable. I adore this style and really wanted to document it on My Name Is David. That wild warbling synth solo is actually a turntable fed through a distortion and tremolo pedals.”

“The song concludes with one of my favourite pieces of sound design on the album; a synthesized space gong! In my mind this big bong is a big bang; but in reverse; ending all life in the cosmos rather than setting it in motion.”

Catch ‘Finger Dance’ live when Alphabethead hits the road in December with Displeasure and Birdparty. They’ll be performing in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, Ōtautahi/Christchurch, Tākaka, Kirikiriroa/Hamilton, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington and Whanganui. Tickets are available now from Undertheradar.co.nz.

Check out all things Alphabethead below:
Bandcamp
Apple Music
Instagram

Photo Credit: Abby Stewart