Music / Premieres
Video Premiere:
Dodda Rivka - Oh Ruby
Dodda Rivka - Oh Ruby
A radiant first serving of the forthcoming album from oddball-pop trio Dodda Rivka, today we have the pleasure of premiering ‘Oh Ruby’, a charming dose of shapeshifting jangle-pop that hints at what’s to come from the trio’s debut full-length.
Right on the precipice of the first wave of Covid-19 in early 2020, Dodda Rivka introduced themselves to the world with their debut EP Hot Deal, a collection of charming and sometimes shambolic guitar-pop that highlighted the left-of-centre songwriting smarts of bandleader Becky Salomons. While the timing was hardly how the group had anticipated unveiling their first release, the following two years of lockdowns gave Becky and drummer Dave McMillan plenty of time to begin crafting Dodda Rivka’s debut album One For The Funeral, and today we’ve been treated to a first taste with the vibrant ‘Oh Ruby’.
Built around a lo-fi tangle of scraggly guitar, yearning violin and a bouncing groove, as ‘Oh Ruby’ expands open it becomes increasingly harder to place. Blurring together elements of jangle-pop and freak-folk with a dancey post-punk backbone, the track manages to effortlessly wrangle together seemingly contrasting atmospheres, all tied together by Becky’s rich vocals. Simultaneously nonchalant yet emotionally potent, ‘Oh Ruby’ unravels in kaleidoscopic fashion - first with its swelling instrumentation before shifting into an offbeat post-chorus and a gloriously unfettered solo section. There’s a perfectly scrappy touch to the tune which makes things all the more charismatic, especially at its most ragged moments when the track threatens to fall apart; but crucially it never does, and Dodda Rivka take every manoeuvre in their stride as they send ‘Oh Ruby’ out on a winning note.
Speaking about the new single, Becky shares “‘Oh Ruby’ is inspired by the love story between Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter. My partner David and I recorded it at home through the past lockdowns that have taken place in Melb/Naarm. It was made with love to honour love so I truly hope that's what we have done. The video clip is full of color as I see Ruby Hunter as someone who contains all the colours. Art inspires art and that's something Archie has most definitely done for me through his book Tell Me Why and his music. I thought it was best to share my appreciation.”
Built around a lo-fi tangle of scraggly guitar, yearning violin and a bouncing groove, as ‘Oh Ruby’ expands open it becomes increasingly harder to place. Blurring together elements of jangle-pop and freak-folk with a dancey post-punk backbone, the track manages to effortlessly wrangle together seemingly contrasting atmospheres, all tied together by Becky’s rich vocals. Simultaneously nonchalant yet emotionally potent, ‘Oh Ruby’ unravels in kaleidoscopic fashion - first with its swelling instrumentation before shifting into an offbeat post-chorus and a gloriously unfettered solo section. There’s a perfectly scrappy touch to the tune which makes things all the more charismatic, especially at its most ragged moments when the track threatens to fall apart; but crucially it never does, and Dodda Rivka take every manoeuvre in their stride as they send ‘Oh Ruby’ out on a winning note.
Speaking about the new single, Becky shares “‘Oh Ruby’ is inspired by the love story between Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter. My partner David and I recorded it at home through the past lockdowns that have taken place in Melb/Naarm. It was made with love to honour love so I truly hope that's what we have done. The video clip is full of color as I see Ruby Hunter as someone who contains all the colours. Art inspires art and that's something Archie has most definitely done for me through his book Tell Me Why and his music. I thought it was best to share my appreciation.”
'Oh Ruby' is out everywhere today, ahead of the release of Dodda Rivka's debut album One For The Funeral later this year via Dinkum Records. Catch Dodda Rivka tomorrow night with Dag at the Edinburgh Castle.
