Dooley – Dooley
Dooley is a bedroom psychedelic pop producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New to the scene, he released his self-titled debut EP Dooley on August 19, 2021. Like other bedroom-produced indie-pop, the album was hideously mixed and mastered, though stood out for its unique compositions and charming aesthetics.
The album begins tremendously with the title-track Dooley, a fascinating blend of space arps and delightful keys. What’s the Point continues the trend with its beautiful spatial arrangements. Composition-wise, the track is spectacular. Each section continuously progresses; something synth pop rarely does. Furthermore, it’s overflowing with charm and personality. Two Years continues the trend with an added element of “boogey,” and Painting of a Bee explores fuzzier textures to a greater extent. Sonically, every song is incredibly rich, easily distinguishable, and instantly recognisable. On the contrary, towards the end of the album, the poppier sections remain somewhat conventional. This is certainly the case with the closer, Rosy Retrospection, which is quite bland, despite featuring some captivating textural work.
Outside the compositional aspect, there are quite a few other problems. While the instrumentals are commendable, the midi-drums leave a lot to be desired, as do the timid, unfulfilling vocals. Moreover, the vocal deliveries/melodies are interchangeable, as is their tone. It often feels like Dooley is incapable of exploring different pitches or presenting any form of vocal range. Perhaps this is more to do with the limiting framework of pop. Regardless, it’s disappointing.
Nonetheless, the creativity throughout Dooley’s self-titled is unparallel. Had it been been competently produced, it would have scored greatly on this site. There’s plenty of room for improvement, though issues aside, this is one of the best underground psychedelic pop albums available. It’s short, delightful, and well worth a listen.
Good
Listen to it here:
Dooley – Dooley
