Split Enz never played it safe. They never wanted to. Mental Notes, their 1975 debut, hit like a vision from another planet, all jagged ambition, theatrical flair, and a young band testing the limits of what pop could be. Neil Finn still remembers what it felt like to hear it for the first time as a teenager. “I was absolutely enchanted and inspired by Mental Notes as a 17-year-old. It made me believe anything was possible. Fifty years later, it sounds as unique and timeless as it did then,” he says. That sense of possibility has shaped generations of musicians who grew up studying every twist and turn of the Enz story.

That legacy now gets the deep dive it has long deserved. ENZyclopedia: Volumes One & Two opens a wide window into the early years when the New Zealand misfits rewired art-rock, stitched new wave into their DNA, and set the foundation for the Crowded House era that would follow. Mental Notes and its follow up, Second Thoughts, are presented here with a wealth of bonus tracks, live cuts, and a full new remix of Second Thoughts from keyboardist Eddie Rayner. Each format is paired with a booklet packed with rare photos and fresh reflections from Tim Finn, Rayner, and Mike Chunn.

For fans who have waited decades for a proper restoration campaign, this is the moment. With the cooperation and support of the original members, ENZyclopedia becomes the official start of a series that will eventually cover the entire catalog. It puts the early years back in the spotlight, capturing the spark that made Split Enz the first New Zealand band to break onto the world stage and influence artists far beyond their home country.

And the story is only picking up momentum. The band is gearing up for a big 2026 with reunion shows on the horizon, an official documentary already in pre-production, and a new book that promises to dig into the wild chapters that shaped their evolution. The ENZ universe is opening wide again, giving longtime fans and new listeners a chance to rediscover just how daring these records were.

ENZyclopedia: Volumes One & Two arrives on 5CD, 3LP, and digital formats including Atmos. Fifty years on, Split Enz sound as strange, bold, and unmistakably alive as ever.