by Dash Lewis (@gardenerjams)
Macula Dog doesn’t make music for the TikTok generation, but feels perfectly suited for it. Their songs aren’t “vibes,” nor are they good lip sync-video fodder, but they do capture the strange, manic energy of the endless scroll. The New York-based electronic duo’s music is jarring and alien, reflecting the terrifying ubiquitousness of technology’s role in our lives. At their most accessible, Macula Dog sounds like Devo playing through a Bluetooth speaker that’s just a little too far away. Sleek synth textures jab themselves against clattering drum machines, syncing up briefly before dropping out completely.
The band set out to write more approachable, dance floor-ready pop songs for their new record, Orange 2. Instead, they took their music to an even more warped place, one reminiscent of the uncanny valley sound design SOPHIE was perfecting before her tragic death. “Neosporin,” Orange 2’s first single, revs and hums with a playful anxiety, building into a groove that’s as mind bending as it is catchy. The vocals are mostly texture, with unsettling lyrics like “some like it rough” occasionally peaking around the curtain of distortion. It’s the sound of microplastics in your bloodstream, of Facetiming through a cracked iPhone screen. It’s bizarre and captivating, becoming more enthralling the longer you listen. Much like falling into a TikTok hole, you’ve been sucked into their world before you know it.