Dog Race - Return the Day Debut EP

Words by Alice Beard

Photo by Holly Whitaker

Dog Race are a force far removed from the banal. Within their jaunty, fractured soundscapes, they bleed a defiant and unnerving persona. Since their arrival onto the scene, each release has seen the band dancing with the peculiar and chilling. Now with their latest EP Return the Day, they bring forth a compelling mix all the more urgent and thrilling. Released on 6th June via Fascinations Records, this release feels like something from a fever dream. It’s fervent and intense in its instrumentation, with storytelling equally formidable in its nature. Touching upon emotional turmoil, vulnerability and the perils of the everyday, their themes do not tread lightly. 

This EP is, in vocalist Katie Healy’s words:

"A soundscape born from sleepless nights, intrusive thoughts, and the quiet war between the mind and the world around me. Each track pulls at the threads of cultish beliefs and everyday expectations, exposing the weight they place on someone already battling inner turmoil."

Where the Barrel Meets the Badger, the first of five tracks in this collection, unfurls with trepidation onto familiar sinister ground. The opening guitar lick sneaks up from behind and drags you in, leaving no time to register the onslaught that is due to begin. Amid wavering, low and breathy vocals, the accompanying instrumentation is run jagged with subtly off- kilter melodies. Within one track they manage to expel an established sound which remains equally as disconcerting as it is entrancing for the entire duration of their EP. 

Continuing their barrage, tracks including The Leader and 40 Winks to Wyoming introduce a sense of playful mischief with their bouncy composition. Flooded with paranoia and menace, we feel something truly frightening and ready to attack in these pieces. Sandwiched between these ‘word of warning’ tracks, Return the Day (Colours) breaks the fog and shines some bright white light on the record. With its crystalline expression, its tone feels distinct from the rest of this EP. Nevertheless, a quiet and loitering tension persists. All of the pulsing moodiness and friction built up in just four tracks finally all culminates in the swelling climax that is It’s the Squeeze. Filled from every extremity with jittery urgency, the stark severity of the rhythm section on this track triumphs in its ambition and succeeds at bringing a cold, heavy hood over the listener. There is no escape in this track- and that’s what makes it, along with the rest of this EP, so evocative. 

It would be hard to ignore Dog Race after listening to these releases. They channel something fierce, an ever growing confidence that must be admired. Beneath the dark and sombre shadow of their sound, there is care and consideration to be observed in how they handle their subject matter with intent and purpose. Their palette is broad yet defined and well- considered. With their daring blend of synthy post- punk tinged gothic rock, Dog Race prove a force to be reckoned with. 

Listen to "Return The Day (Colours)" HERE

Catch Dog Race live:

July 12th - Chauffeur Dans La Noirceur, France

July 18th - DOUR Festival, Belgium

September 17th - The Lexington, London

November 8th/9th - Sonic City, Belgium