Dog Food

Words by Isabel Williams

In anticipation of their Debut EP ‘Gloom Moves’, out on 19thSeptember, Hertfordshire duo Dog Food give us a preliminarytaste with the release of their whimsical new single, ‘For Free’.

With a song-writing history that speaks to the joys and sorrows of young adulthood, Dog Food’s discography could easily form the soundtrack to a classic coming-of-age movie. In comparison to their previous tracks, however, the pair havegone for a softer direction with ‘For Free’, through which the influence of folkish artists like Nick Drake echoes clearly. This single is one of those songs that manages to hit the sweet spot between optimism and wistful melancholy. The relatively unfiltered audio has a raw quality to it, and yet remains perky enough to suggest a glimmer of hope under the brooding surface. After the initial guitar intro, soft backing voices soon join in to mingle, and the harmony swoons gently through the chorus before descending back into submission.

The song’s lyrics seem to probe a darkness, full of blurred recollections and questions of what went wrong. When asked about the track, vocalist Will Crane spoke of the lyrics as a lament “over idleness and wasted opportunity: it’s about trying (and failing) to grab the reins as life seems to pass you by.”

The gradual layering of guitar, vocal harmonies, piano and the light patter of drums brings together a deeply groovy track that builds to a full momentum around the final verse. The song finishes with the buzz of static and a few heavily distorted words, like a mangled snippet from a once-happy memory. Whether their listeners be young or old, ‘For Free’ is a song that should strike a distinct chord with everyone.