Dummy, the playful and dream-influenced electronic rock outfit from Los Angeles, left a strong impression with their 2024 record Free Energy. In his role as a publicist, guitarist Joe Trainor has also introduced Stereogum’s team to plenty of standout music we might have missed otherwise. Dummy’s upcoming album do you love the color of the sky? is due next month, and they’ve truly gone all out on the lead single “Full Spectrum Dominance.” Today, the band unveils the album’s first two tracks.
Dummy have paired “April Limousine” and “Alluvial Fan,” the first and second tracks from do you love the color of the sky?, into the same YouTube post, though the songs aren’t necessarily intended to function as a two-part suite. They’re two distinct pieces of music, though the hazy drum-and-bass dreamscape of “April Limousine” nicely offsets the funky, lazy mood of “Alluvial Fan.” In a press release, band member Emma Maatman explains:
The opener “April Limousine” acts as a literal introduction to the album and includes references to the other tracks, including the demos that didn’t make the cut. It leaves you with the thesis statement and the question, “do you love the color of the sky?…,” among others. The video is meant to depict a contrast between the beauty of nature and the chaos of looming technological advancement, which leads us into the next song, “Alluvial Fan.” In the video, Nathan is drawn by a mysterious force to the wires surrounding him.
Maatman’s bandmate Nathan O’Dell adds:
The lyrics merge two ideas. One is inspired by imagery from a certain 2000s anime where the aim of mass digital connection blurs the lines of our human reality and sense of self. One can’t help but follow the humming wires deeper and deeper until they’re completely lost in the “Wired” web. The other concept concerns alluvial fans. They’re stunning… you should check them out. The track also features some silky smooth vocals from Allyson and Paul from New Issue.
I’m eagerly awaiting this album! Emma Maatman directed the video for both tracks, and you can check it out below.
do you love the color of the sky? is scheduled for release on 10/16 via Polyvinyl.
