After cementing a reputation with Flying Nun as one of independent music's finest acts, The Chills signed with American major label Slash in 1989. Two albums for Slash, Submarine Bells (1990) and Soft Bomb (1992) were critically acclaimed around the world but didn't sell enough to satisfy the demands of the major company. Martin returned to live in Dunedin after touring the world to promote Soft Bomb. There, he continued to write songs and in 1995 he re-signed with Flying Nun, now growing in size as an international independent label operating offices in Auckland, Melbourne, and London.

In August 1995, Martin Phillipps flew to England to record the first album in this new phase of his career with top producer Craig Leon. This album, Sunburnt, is Martin's finest record to date, closest in spirit to his musical muse, a powerful set of songs with a sound that reaches deep into the listener.

Post Chills, Martin Phillipps has released "a selection of largely unreleased songs in demo form taken from the ten tapes containing around 200 songs or 'song-seeds' I recorded on my Tascam Porter 05 4-track cassette home-studio machine (analogue/standard speed) before I wore it out and it died an honorable death," as 'Sketchbook: Volume One' in 1999 on Flying Nun Records.

You can also find out more about Martin and the Chills at the Chills site by recent visitors downunder Michelle in America and Andy from the United Kingdom. Features audio of  some unreleased tracks. Look out for the new updated site coming soon with all new material gathered on their trip. Join their mailing list for updates from Andy, Michelle and Martin Phillipps himself.