Dummy Drop Sub Pop Single

After dropping the superb Mandatory Enjoyment via Trouble in Mind, Dummy return with a brand new ripper for Sub Pop Singles Club. They pick up exactly where they left off, dropping in these motorik drum beats that race the the song forward, while guitars and melodies battle for control over the direction of the track. Juxtaposed male/female vocals, aided by the rising sun of synth work, build this underlying brightness that the band tame just before the 2 minute mark. That, however, is a momentary blip as the song explodes into euphoric noise at the 2:17 mark to close the tune out in high fashion. Also, keep a look out at your local venues, as the band are touring pretty heavily for the time being.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (4.18 – 4.22)

Lot’s of really great stuff last week, so we’re here, as we always are, revisiting our coverage from last week, that way you can catch up…or at least have a sweet playlist to enjoy. Some cool new stuff last week from perennial favorites like Flasher and Say Sue Me, plus excellent news that there’s a new CLAMM record on the way. Plus, I hadn’t been to a traveling show, aside from SXSW, so I was stoked to get out of the house and catch Dummy absolutely rip over at Hotel Vegas, so I threw in a nice little jam from the band’s Mandatory Enjoyment. It’s Monday; here’s tunes you might have missed.

Show Preview: Dummy @ Hotel Vegas (4.21) w/ Being Dead, Queen Serene, Future Museums

We’ve spent a ton of time discussing the Austin acts on this bill, and maybe even put out a release by one of them, so if you haven’t listened to Being Dead, Queen Serene and Future Museums…do so. But, this post is about encouraging you to show up to Hotel Vegas to catch one of the more underrated, yet highly appreciated, acts in the indie sphere: Dummy. Their work is hard to pigeon-hole, moving between various periods of electronica and indie rock with such ease that one would find it difficult not to be mesmerized. Last year’s Mandatory Enjoyment made a lot of year-end lists, including our own, so clearly you’ve gotta show up tomorrow night. Plus, if you are planning on going, please wear a mask! The band’s already been hit with Covid on tour, so let’s do our best to keep them, and ourselves, safe. Show kicks off at 9:30 with Future Museums.

 

Top Albums of 2021

Honestly, I’m pretty over lists at this point. They’re arbitrary and don’t really reflect anything but someone’s tastes, except here where they reflect the tastes of three individuals…because that’s how we roll. So, take this list with a grain of salt. These are the records we thought were the best, which mostly just means these are the ones we listened to on repeat throughout the year! Feel free to leave a comment on what you think we missed, or why we’re dumb; we love good comment trolls.

Also, because this list is really about crediting the art that made us happy, we wanted it to make you happy too, so we included purchasing links where we could. Read more

Last Week’s Jams Today (10.18 – 10.22)

We were back on our game last week, for the most part. We had tons of great tunes, so we’re hoping you caught wind of at least a few of these on the site. But, if you didn’t, Monday’s a great day to just sit back in your chair and relax. I also threw in a few tunes from the likes of Spirit Was, Keg, Power Supply, Belaver and Dummy who all released most excellent albums last week. You get 20 songs to ease you into this week. Might I still suggest listening to Japan Review. That Rural France tune isn’t half bad either!

Last Week’s Jams, Today (October 11 – 15)

So last week Ryan and I had to do tons of training and such things for the job that pays, so we took Monday off. Thus, our week ran a little short on tunes…that and it feels like there wasn’t a whole lot out there that I really dug. Maybe I’m just being an old curmudgeon. Thus, we let you off light this week, with only 9 little jams, so you can get in and out on this last week’s listening playlist in just over 30 minutes…then move on your way. Some jams from Austin’s Zero Percent APR, as well as that beautiful new tune from Dummy from their forthcoming album.

Dummy Share Atonal Poem

We’ve been on board the Dummy train since their first EP, and let me tell you, you’re in for a real treat when you unwrap your copy of their debut Mandatory Enjoyment. On the last single before the record drops, the band have chosen to release an instrumental jam…but one that ties this LP to their first EP. When we first heard EP 1, you were getting the feeling that the band was just finding their footing, sampling a collection of sounds. But, in retrospect, and seeing how “Atonal Poem” fits into the new record, it feels more purposeful. It’s like they sat down to create a 7 course (or 12 song) meal, and in it, there are supreme highs, and subtle treats, and there are palate cleansers, like the closer we have below. Coming across like an instrumental sonic exploration, this tune caps off the record, allowing you the space and time to reflect on the whole of your experience. Mandatory Enjoyment hits on October 22nd via Trouble in Mind.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (September 7 – 10)

Welcome to another Monday my friends. First, taking a minute here, as I’m writing this post, to celebrate the 7 day young Rhys Bennett Lankford! That’s right, went and had me another one of those kids, and its been a lot of fun, and well, we’re super stoked on the lil’ fella. That said, we also had a short week, so maybe we didn’t get as many jams in as we might otherwise. But, rest assured, we’ve got a pretty solid little collection of tunes here for you to begin your week, with quite a few ATX appearances from the likes of Lola Tried, American Friend and more. You know what to do, press play and stuff.

Dummy Share Final Weapon Video

I think my favorite thing this year is going to be reading all the glowing Dummy reviews and see exactly where people name drop an influence here or there. I’m sure they’re likely to get some ESG, some Stereolab, maybe even some Peel Dream Magazine (if you’re going more recent), but I really wanna see what everyone drops; I need new stuff to listen to; I’m not trying to be a jerk. I honestly don’t even think it matters, as the band seem to kind of operate like some mad lunch lady, stirring a pot of everything left in the kitchen pantry and churning out something incredible. This latest single flirts with these propulsive notes that kind of seem dance-floor ready, yet there’s this layer of left-field psychedelic experimentation that kind of holds everything in one unique spot…all the while, the vocals here feel like they’re trying to bewitch me, seducing me with this calm amidst these vibrant sounds. That’s the wonderful thing about the band, they seem to be kind of formulating their sound as they go, so it constantly seems to evolve, and that bodes well for all of Mandatory Enjoyment, out October 22 via Trouble in Mind.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (August 2 – 6)

Here we are amigos, welcoming you back to what is shaping up to be a really fun week. RayRay and I have to go back to our real jobs, officially, so there’s that. But, we wanted to reflect on last week, bringing you the hits of last week, only bringing them to you today. Most of the stuff we covered, or have covered, since we’re not apt to get to tons of reviews for individual albums, so I threw in a jam. Definitely got some good Austin coverage with new Half Dream, as well as a part Austin participation with Daphne Tunes on that new Central Heat Exchange track. You know, its not tough. Just press play, let the algorithm guide you.

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