Artist of the Week: Dummy
- Anne
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
This week’s Artist of the Week is Dummy. The Los Angeles band are entering a new chapter with "do you love the color of the sky?" (out 16th of October), their first album for Polyvinyl Record Co. and their follow-up to 2024’s "Free Energy". Where that record drew from the optimism of Madchester and rave culture, the new album moves into a more uncertain space, bringing together post-rock, drone and bright pop influences without losing the restless character that makes Dummy recognizable. The new record also reflects a band shaped by an intense period of touring. Dummy played around 113 shows and spent roughly 150 days on the road following "Free Energy", including two European trips. That experience seems to have strengthened the physical side of their music rather than pulling them away from it. Their new songs continue to be built around the interaction between five people playing together, even as the sounds themselves become increasingly unusual.
There is a political edge to "do you love the color of the sky?" as well. The album takes on questions around AI, technology and the value of human creativity, but Dummy don't seem interested in separating those ideas from the pleasure of making music. Their songs remain melodic, rhythmic and inviting. Even the album's stranger ideas are given room to breathe. Perhaps that's what makes this new chapter interesting: Dummy aren't trying to leave their past behind. They are taking what already works and pushing it somewhere less familiar.
If you want to hear how that approach comes together, we take a closer look at “Full Spectrum Dominance” in our Artist Feature: “Full Spectrum Dominance” Is a Lot More Human Than It Sounds
Comments