Never have words rung truer in my ears than those of Year of Dogs’ latest single. And if “Take It Away, Human” doesn’t inspire you to actually take that digital detox from the online world I don’t know what will.
It’s been a year, 2021 has been a pain, we’re all – for the most part – even more dependent on social media for that serotonin boost when the world is going to shit, and Year of Dogs is here to call you out on it.They called me out, at least.
The track comes as the first installment of a two-sided offering which will represent the dichotomy of digital and real worlds. This one represents the real world, and the band nestled themselves in a fynbos-fringed lawn at the foot of Table Mountain for the accompanying video to keep things relevant. Sweeping drone footage lends an ever-dynamic movement to the whole thing, as the band reel out a live rendition of the track under a summer sky.
“It’s like you read the thoughts in my digital dream […] Take it away now,” comes the prevailing message, cushioned against a backbone of liquid ’90’s synth, a funky bassline, and the sort of modern retro rhetoric that sets lo-fi experimental indie apart.
To drive home the message of lo-fi experimental indie, the band are also all decked out in Cape Town’s latest handcrafted label: Studio Candor. And if that doesn’t scream Mother City youth culture I don’t know what does. I’d recommend a hip-wiggle to this track and then a week off Instagram at this point. Good luck.
Feature pic supplied by artist
