Sydney indie outfit Grids & Dots today reach a career touchstone: the release of their debut EP. The seven track record, What Happens To Friendships, captures the energy of Grids & Dots beautifully.
Blending a myriad of influences across the indie and shoegaze soundscapes, the music is melodic and colourful, driven by striking lyricism and storytelling.
Featuring previously released tracks ‘The Great Divide’, ‘Hazy Jane’ and the more recent single ‘City Skies’ the What Happens To Friendships EP is dreamy in its sounds.
Moments of melancholy (‘Friendships’) are met with nostalgic reflection (‘Someone Mentioned’); vocalists Daniel Handaru and Carmen Minikus trading tones beautifully between one another.
The band worked with ARIA Award winning producer Wayne Connolly (Paul Dempsey, You Am I) on the EP at Sydney’s Hercules St Studios.
The process, which ended up directly clashing with the onset of COVID-19, was longer than anticipated, however the final result is a record Grids & Dots are immensely proud of.
For the ‘City Skies’ music video, filming took place across King Street in Newtown, as well as parts of King’s Cross, Pyrmont, Sydney Park and Camperdown Park.
Directed by Zhiran Zhou and Datu Bethke from Oakville Films, the levels of cuteness and nostalgia are balanced well, with the perspective of the central canine hero taking viewers on a ride.
A collection of music that charts the journey of young people finding themselves and discovering more about their artistic influences, the What Happens To Friendships EP is Grids & Dots at their most defined yet.
Recorded and delivered with perspective as an advantage now, the music is focused and cohesive and provides a great entry point for newcomers to the Grids & Dots fold while for longtime fans, this is a gift.