Melbourne duo Skydeck return with new single ‘Dogshot’; announce sophomore album Coupon

Naarm/Melbourne-based duo Skydeck (AKA Dominic Kearton and Mitchum Clemens) return with a new song and video titled ‘Dogshot’. The single comes alongside the announcement of the indie outfit’s sophomore album Coupon, set for release on Friday August 27 2021 via Dinosaur City Records, Osborne Again and Kingfisher Bluez digitally and on limited-edition 12” vinyl.

Stream/watch ‘Dogshot’ HERE. Pre-order limited-edition 12″ vinyl HERE.

Featuring wiry synths, snappy electronic drums, an angular bassline and distorted guitars with Kearton’s vocals at the forefront, ‘Dogshot’ (an Australian sports term describing a late tackle or punch when one is distracted/not looking) reflects on exploitation in the gig economy.

“Worker exploitation is nothing new. Every so often it just morphs into a new form. These days, you have to make a pretty concerted effort to avoid relying on the services of the gig economy. It’s a pretty uncomfortable feeling knowing you are helping these companies (Uber et al.) make loads of money by exploiting their workers, commoditising their spare time and offering no form of security or protection back.”  Kearton says of the new track.

Accompanying ‘Dogshot’ is a video directed by Melbourne-based artist, Matthew Ware. The video features Ware’s childhood friend jujutsu training, and is a celebration of love and brotherhood.

Skydeck is the project of Naarm/Melbourne duo Dominic Kearton and Mitchum Clemens. Taking inspiration from cold, post-punk sounds of the 1980s, the band makes use of FM synthesis and the bright, clean and sometimes artificial sounds it provides, contrasted with distorted guitars and upbeat basslines.

Coupon is the follow-up to Skydeck’s Australian Music Prize-nominated debut Eureka Moment (2019), which saw praise and plays from the likes of VICE, triple j, FBi Radio, Bandcamp, The Music and Savage Thrills, and caught the attention of Spotify’s editorial team, with adds to a string of influential playlists.

While Eureka Moment was pieced together bit by bit, with lyrics applied to old unfinished demos years later – and gestured towards an anticapitalist sentiment, Coupon sees the band writing and recording in unison – this time, less focused on observing society’s issues from afar, rather reflecting on their own involvement within them.

Though writing and recording at the same time, founding members and long-time friends Mitchum Clemens and Dominic Kearton were physically separated throughout the entire process: one in Mexico and the other back home in Australia.

Coupon was as much an artistic endeavour as it was a way to stay connected with each other over long distances, with songs and ideas acting like letters back and forth. Evidence of this can be heard through field recordings and phone memos scattered throughout songs.

Coupon is set for release digitally and on limited-edition 12” vinyl on Friday August 27 via Dinosaur City Records, Osborne Again and Kingfisher Bluez.

Keep up to date with Skydeck on Instagram and Bandcamp.