Bec Sandridge releases new EP 'Lost Dog'

Image: Sam Brumby, editing Giulia McGauran

Australia’s Bec Sandridge creates music from a place where synthpop, rock and indie collide. The end result is music that is euphoric and full of pop melodies while still retaining a gritty edge.

Last week she released her new EP Lost Dog, a collection of five tracks which she created with close friends, including Lucy Taylor (Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding), Tony Buchen (Hatchie, Troye Sivan) and Gab Strum (May-A, Mallrat).

The EP represents a personal journey for Sandridge, created at her darkest point but also at a time when the past was put to bed and a new chapter in her life begun.

“I was a bit of a lost dog myself, and I also lost my dog,” she says. “This EP is a snapshot of that time. The goal was to take time and write my best songs to date. On my debut record, I felt that I hadn't gone as far as I could in terms of angularity and the whole gloss-pop thing. I wanted to really sit in that pocket. To me, this lot of songs feels like driving into a sunset, no sunglasses, with an ache in the pit of your stomach (potentially a hangover): it’s sickeningly beautiful, temporarily blinding and also, signifying the end of a big ol’ chapter.

Previous singles, the shimmery pop-rock of ‘Cost Of Love’ and the synth-heavy ‘The Jetty’ are both here and as infectious as ever, alongside a more hardcore dance-trance remix of ‘Cost Of Love’. The two new tracks live up to the promise of the singles. ‘Claustrophobia’ has moody, late-night-drive synths piercing through the rocky beat and the chanting backing vocals. Fittingly, given the title, there is a claustrophobic all surrounding feel to the song, almost as if the sound is slowly closing in around you. It is broken momentarily by a gorgeously softer middle eight where Sandridge’s distorted vocals reflect on the situation: ‘Tried to help you / But I can’t change the past’.

‘Easy To Go Bad’ starts with a synthpop sound that is pure 1980s before it introduces more contemporary electronic sounds and electric guitar. It is an delicious song to listen to, with it’s ever changing soundscape mixed with lush melodies keeping you engaged to the end. Sandridge explores the pull back to the past - a relationship, home, situation - despite knowing things can never be the same. “This one’s about the trick of nostalgia,” she says. “It’s far too easy to go back to something that feels like home. Nonetheless, this is potentially my favourite on the EP. For me, it embodies that disgusting feeling of being trapped in a stuffy-car, all day, with a stomach ache.”

After a break of three years after releasing her debut album Try + Save Me in 2019, Lost Dog is a welcome return of Sandridge and features some of her best ever music. With almost ten years of releasing music under her belt, Sandridge is continuously proving she is one of Australia’s greatest, and possibly most underrated, pop artists releasing music today. Fully embracing electro-synth-pop and dirtying it up with a slap of rock and indie, her music does what the very best pop music does - appeals to fans of multiple genres while being beholden to none. Lost Dog is an absolute blast and is quite possibly going to be the soundtrack of your summer. Tune in now.

Lost Dog is out now. You can buy and stream here.

To keep up with all things Bec Sandridge you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.