I love when new music slides across my desk and surprises me. That’s what Australia’s Bec Sandridge has done with her 5 song EP, Lost Dog.
About Lost Dog,
I was a bit of a lost dog, myself and I also lost my dog. This EP is a snapshot of that time. The goal was to take time and write my best songs to date. On my debut record, I felt that I hadn’t gone as far as I could in terms of angularity and the whole gloss-pop thing. I wanted to really sit in that pocket. To me, this lot of songs feels like driving into a sunset, no sunglasses, with an ache in the pit of your stomach (potentially a hangover); it’s sickeningly beautiful, temporarily blinding and also, signifying the end of a big ol’ chapter.
Kicking off the EP is the infectiously catchy “Easy to Go Bad” which Bec says,
This one’s about the trick of nostalgia. It’s far too easy to go back to something that feels like home… Nonetheless, this is potentially my favourite on the EP. For me, it embodies that disgusting feeling of being trapped in a stuffy-car, all day, with a stomach ache.
The song is grandiose without being pretentious, upbeat, and has a melody one can hum to all day.
“Cost of Love” has Haim-ish vibes but Bec surpasses the sister act with a fire and emotion that I don’t hear in the aforementioned act. She brings a beautiful depth and range of emotion to the song that will have one bopping along to the song and singing-a-long within the moment the song starts.
Bec’s current single, “The Jetty” featuring Andy Bully is an absolute toe tapper. It’s fun, dance-y, and idyllic pop.
But the stand out track that I believe catches the sheer essence of Bec for this album is “Claustrophobia”. Good god all mighty what a fucking jam. While pop may not be my go to genre of music, this song gives me mother f’n life! It has a beat for days, a chorus that won’t let the ear worms die, and it’s just epic. I am playing this song on repeat until my ears bleed. It will definitely be in my top ten songs of 2022.
Rounding out the EP is a remix of “Cost of Love (DENIM Remix)”, I’m not traditionally a fan of remixes but this one is all right. It neither hurts or helps the strength of the EP. The four songs stand strong with out it.
FAVOURITE TRACK: “Claustrophobia”
MUST LISTEN TRACK: “Claustrophobia”
I’m so glad I sat down with Lost Dog, it is such a fun and great EP. I cannot wait to hear what Bec will bring next. She has a fan in me.
Photo credit: Will Edgar
EP artwork by Sam Brumby, editing Giulia McGauran
