Dolls have to be one of the hardest-working bands playing today. The two-piece have been playing relentlessly for a good while now, and their new single, Armchair Psychiatrist, officially drops this Friday via Roadkill Records.
It’s something of a departure from past releases, which have been unashamedly loud. Armchair Psychiatrist is more subtle in flavour, showcasing Dolls’ masterful command of noise and space; surf chords dance under a careful vocal that whispers and sweeps. It’s remarkably sultry in restraint; rising, rising, and then breathing out in relief. That it never mounts to the trademark Dolls loudness is a brave move, and for me it pays off.
Dolls play a free show at The Shacklewell Arms, Dalston this Friday.