New Music: King Blue Heron – Dogs

The opening track on The Breaking Wheel, the debut EP from Pittsburgh outfit King Blue Heron, Dogs is a gritty and melodic take on shoegaze.

Dogs plays with the dense and dancing themes we expect from the genre in terms of structure, though the glacial melody embodies much of abstract grandeur. It’s where they take that framing, though, which is what gives the track added fire amongst its ice.

Yes, you can hear the influence of Slowdive, for example, yet King Blue Heron adds a midwestern crackle and Athens jangle to push the expected serenity off-centre, as the sweet energies of vocalist and guitarist Emily Hardenberger are occasionally haunted by a spectral howl in the belly of the track. It glides Dogs towards the territory currently dominated by Boygenius and Ethel Cain, but here, as on The Breaking Wheel itself, the band can easily and artfully hold their own against both.

You can find streaming options for The Breaking Wheel on the band’s Instagram and TikTok, where you can also get details of their upcoming gig on the 25th of September at Mr. Roboto Project.