Doris are a London-based dream pop and shoegaze band featuring Romy Jo on vocals, Andrew Lancaster on guitar and Jerry Lane on keyboard. They’ve just come to my attention thanks to their stunning debut EP, immortalising their stormy origins. It’s called Storm Doris.

By Graeme Smith

The thing that I like most about Doris is that they like to do things their own way. Storm Doris was recorded in an old army bunker in the Cotswolds and apparently the process was as chaotic as that sounds. For this record, the trio enlisted the help of Hugh Fielding for production, Joseph Johns on bass and Jonny Maiden on drums.

The EP opens with the cantering Down. It’s gentle yet urgent rock with echoing guitar and a sense of loss. The intro takes its time, slowly building before we get our first taste of Romy’s haunting vocals, and the band’s wonderfully poetic song writing. It’s a strong start.

Old Bones is a slow, thoughtful track that oozes with nostalgia and home décor metaphors while Supernatural Sex Dream is as freaky as its title suggests. It opens with the toning of a bell before settling into a wistful groove with whispered vocals. It’s a highlight.

Cult sits at the heart of the record and injects a bit of pace with its relentless bassline and lively percussion. Lonely Rose is a melancholic, storytelling track with traces of The Smiths about it while Spy Girl gives us touches of ’60s psychedelia. Under the Sun closes the EP in bombastic style. Over seven and a half minutes, it removes the restraints and Doris really go for it with a timeless groove.

Doris are a very exciting band, and this EP feels like just a taste of what we can expect from them. Their music takes itself time building atmosphere but never feels overly long. The band have that mix of the familiar and the unexpected that make them utterly irresistible and I think they’ll go far in the UK underground scene.

You can listen to the whole of Storm Doris below.