Dummy — the Los Angeles band of Alex Ewell, Emma Maatman, Nathan O’Dell, and Joe Trainor — shares a new video for singles “Blue Dada” and “Opaline Bubbletear” from their new album, Free Energy, out September 6th on Trouble In Mind Records. “Opaline Bubbletear” serves to set the stage for “Blue Dada,” featuring a characteristically Dummy ambient improvisation, with dear friend Cole Pulice contributing the soaring saxophone. “Blue Dada,” was one of the first songs that really came together for the album, with the idea of cross-wiring genres — between ambient dance music a la Seefeel, and revved-up drone-pop a la Dunedin Sound. Performing “Blue Dada” live helped shape and hone the track into a more razor-sharp version of the original concept. Maatman directed the accompanying video and stars the Los Angeles-based performer and artist Camirin Farmer, a Los Angeles-based performer and artist whose primary interest is dissecting exactly what God means. They perform their solo show God Vessel monthly and can be found across LA preaching the good work of shrooms and buffoonery.

Dummy’s debut full-length, Mandatory Enjoyment, arrived in late 2021 and quickly became one of the year’s sleeper hits, gaining praise for its mix of ambient and twinkly guitar pop, their deep musical references, and the intentionality with which they patchworked it all together. Where Mandatory Enjoyment was cerebral and lo-fi, the product of a lot of time inside, Free Energy is all movement, presence, and physicality. A creatively restless band, Dummy wanted to get harder, dancier, a little more psychedelic.

Ewell and Trainor began experimenting with home recording while O’Dell dug deeper into instrumental/sample composition, in addition to contributing more guitar leads. Maatman also steps into the spotlight in a big way, her vocals noticeably foregrounded and confident, adding to the live performance feel that forms the foundation of Free Energy. The result is a record that celebrates music’s ability to move the body, whether that be through a teeth-rattling wall of MBV-esque noise, a sticky pop chorus, or a joyous drum machine—or, if you’re Dummy, maybe all of them in the same song.

Pre-order Free Energy
 
Watch the Video for “Nullspace”
 
Watch the Video for “Nine Clean Nails”
 
Dummy Tour Dates:
Sat. Sept. 7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
Wed. Sept. 11 – San Francisco, CA @ Kilowatt
Fri. Sept. 13 – Portland, OR @ Lose Yr Mind Fest
Sat. Sept. 14 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl
Sun. Sept. 15 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
Wed. Sept. 18 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project
Fri. Sept. 20 – Sacramento, CA @ Cafe Colonial
Sat. Sept. 21 – Oxnard, CA @ Mrs. Olson’s
Thu. Oct. 31 – Breda, NL @ Mezz
Fri. Nov. 1 – Utrecht, NL @ ACU
Sat. Nov. 2 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Sun. Nov. 3 – Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn
Tue. Nov. 5 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
Wed. Nov. 6 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7
Thu. Nov. 7 – Oslo, NO @ Blå
Fri. Nov. 8 – Malmo, SE @ Plan B
Sat. Nov. 9 – Berlin, DE @ Synästhesie Festival
Sun. Nov. 10 – Warsaw, PL @ Chmury
Mon. Nov. 11 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
Tue. Nov. 12 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse
Wed. Nov. 13 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Thu. Nov. 14 – Annecy, FR @ La Brise Glace Festival
Fri. Nov. 15 – Dijon, FR @ Le Consortium
Sat. Nov. 16 – Rennes, FR @ Kool Thing Festival
Sun. Nov. 17 – Clermont Ferrand, FR @ La Coopérative de Mai
Tue. Nov. 19 – Marseille, FR @ L’Intermédiare
Wed. Nov. 20 – Lyon, FR @ Sonic
Thu. Nov. 21 – Bordeaux, FR @ Iboat
Fri. Nov. 22 – Angers, FR @ Joker’s Pub
Sun. Nov. 24 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire
Tue. Nov. 26 – London, UK @ Moth Club
Wed. Nov. 27 – Bristol, UK @ The Lanes
Thu. Nov. 28 – Coventry, UK @ Just Dropped In
Fri. Nov. 29 – Newcastle, UK @ The Lubber Fiend
Sun. Dec. 1 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast
Mon. Dec. 2 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete’s
Tue. Dec. 3 – Leeds, UK @ Headrow House
Wed. Dec. 4 – Manchester, UK @ Yes
Thu. Dec. 5 – Brighton, UK @ Dust