Irish singer and musical whiz kid Annie-Dog has stepped up to the plate with 15, an intriguing new EP that expands her artistic world into a dizzying, all-encompassing pop dreamscape. Her unique blend of bedroom pop, indietronica, and drum ‘n’ bass, which she makes herself in GarageBand, has earned her countless comparisons to fellow self-produced electronic acts Grimes and PinkPantheress. And yet, while she openly embraces these comparisons, Annie-Dog makes clear on 15 that she has no interest in being pigeonholed.
The opening track, ‘What Happened.,’ begins with a tinny guitar loop that had me expecting a Y2K-inspired R&B pop song. It wasn’t until Annie-Dog’s auto-tuned, glitchy vocals came in that I realized I was in for something completely different. In fact, that guitar sample is the only constant throughout this entire song; choppy, distorted vocal samples come in jabs, and the beat, though heavy-hitting, stutters and wanes throughout. This is a song meant to capture your attention – and keep you on your toes.
‘The Feeling in My Fingertips’ is a standout track on this EP. Her use of a classic UKG beat as the song’s central driving force displays her unshakeable roots in electronic dance music. Atop this entrancing rhythm floats an airy topline vocal that does, indeed, emulate the delicate singing style of PinkPantheress. (Hey, the girl is allowed to have influences!) The production is full, dreamy, and the slightest bit trippy; it’s easy to lose yourself in this one.
Annie-Dog steps outside of her comfort zone in multiple ways on this release. Perhaps the most notable example of this is her cover of ‘Please Forgive Me’ by British singer-songwriter David Gray. The song comes off his 1998 album White Ladder, which Annie-Dog says has served as a musical inspiration for her since childhood.
My parents rinsed it constantly, and Please Forgive Me was always a favourite. […] I suppose I wanted to insert myself into the song, because I love it. I wanted to be a part of the song’s world. I hadn’t ever properly covered a song before making “Please Forgive Me, David Gray”, and I haven’t since.
– Annie-dog
Upon listening to the song’s original version, it’s easy to get a sense of the role David Gray has played in shaping Annie-Dog stylistically. He is similarly adept at making electronic music sound soulful and organic. However, unsurprisingly, Annie-Dog does a great job of making the song her own. Her cover is a bit faster and a bit more chaotic; reverb-laden synths and robotic vocal harmonies slip in and out of dissonance, at times blending together until they are indistinguishable from one another.
With this EP, Annie-Dog shows that it can be rewarding to take creative liberties and get a little weird. Though she always remains grounded in bright, upbeat pop melodies and chord progressions, the devil is truly in the details; Annie-Dog has a profound understanding of how a lively dance beat, an unexpected vocal effect, or a strong lead synth line can fundamentally change the character of a track. It is evident that she is a heavily contemplative and self-reflective artist with much to say. It is exciting to hear as she finds new ways to express herself on this EP, and I look forward to watching her sound grow and mature even further from here.
You can catch Annie-Dog at this year’s SXSW in Austin, TX from March 12th-15th.
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