Black Doldrums – Dreamcatcher

Black Doldrums return with their dreamy and driven moody aesthetic with their new music video for the track Dreamcatcher. After releasing their debut LP, Dead Awake, in early March, we are brought up to date with a new music video from the album. The newly formed trio (formally a duo consisting of drummer Sophie Landers and guitarist/vocalist Kevin Gibbard) are now joined by Matt Holt on bass.

The imagery that accompanies the track is haunting yet well paced. The dreamy visual compliments the pounding drums and the use of black and white only exposes the contrasts of sea and sky, all fabricated by returning Director Lauras Conlon. As the wall-of-sound guitar line rings out, Landers and Gibbard prowl a desolate beach, all the while an eerie and angelic figure observes them. This gothic aesthetic is certainly not a novelty however, it’s impressive to see a distinctive lack of charisma define such a strong personality for the band.

The band say, “The moody psychedelic post-punk of Dreamcatcher is a song about defiance against a sense of being held down, an idea which occurs constantly throughout the album”.

The single’s new video is the third in a trilogy by film-maker Laura Conlon that also includes lead single Sad Paradise and Into Blue.

I thoroughly enjoy it when I find a new shoegaze band and it’s great to hear the trio are becoming a staple for the underground dreamy rockers of the UK. Long Live Shoegaze! This band have tones of The New Division, Ride and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

If you’re wanting to catch Black Doldrums live you can find their pending UK tour dates below.

DEAD AWAKE TOUR-DATES

22/04 Manchester – Night and Day Cafe
23/04 Huddersfield – Venn Street Social
24/04 Leeds – Oporto
26/04 Leicester – Firebug
28/04 Hull – The New Adelphi Club
29/04 Todmorden – Golden Lion
30/04 Liverpool – Smithdown Road Festival, Black Cat Stage
01/05 Glasgow – Stag and Dagger venue TBC
08/06 Nottingham – The Bodega
09/06 Winchester – The Railway Inn
10/06 Exeter – Exeter Cavern
11/06 Penzance – The Acorn
15/06 London – The Grace
16/06 St Albans – The Horn
17/06 Northampton – The Black Prince
18/06 Bedford – Bedford Esquires
30/06 London – 229 (supporting The Primitives)

Black Doldrums

Words by Matisse Moretti

5th April 2022