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Spiel (album)

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2024 studio album by Office Dog
Spiel
An image of three quarters of a square of bumpy tape, with the top right portion depicting a parachuter flying over hills
Studio album by Office Dog
Released26 January 2024 (2024-01-26)
GenreIndie rock
Length40:21
Label
ProducerDe Stevens

Spiel is the debut studio album by New Zealand indie rock band Office Dog, released on 26 January 2024 through Flying Nun and New West Records. It received acclaim from critics.

Writing and recording

Office Dog frontman Kane Strang wrote most of the album on drives from Dunedin to Auckland as he was in the process of moving and going through "personal turmoil". After gathering together a band also consisting of bassist Rassani Tolovaa and drummer Mitchell Innes, the album was recorded in just two days.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Mojo
Uncut

Spiel received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. Uncut stated that "the threesome manage to toe the very fine line between control and chaos, suppression and release", while Mojo felt that "it may make for a rollercoaster musical ride, but it's utterly thrilling".

AllMusic's Marcy Donelson wrote that the band "sculpt a sound that commits more fully to angsty, '90 lo-fi inspirations, with a weightier guitar palette and discontented lyrics to match", calling the album "darkly anxious yet engaging". John Moore of Glide Magazine summarised it as "a dozen sublime indie rock tracks contrasting lo-fi guitars with calm soothing vocals for a puzzlingly beautiful effect".

Track listing

Spiel track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Shade"2:51
2."Antidote"3:57
3."Gleam"2:34
4."Warmer"3:44
5."Big Air"3:26
6."Tightropes"3:02
7."In the Red"3:39
8."Hand in Hand"2:59
9."Cut the Ribbon"3:56
10."Teeth"2:20
11."The Crater"2:31
12."Spiel"5:22
Total length:40:21

References

  1. ^ Moore, John (23 January 2024). "Office Dog Crafts Diverse and Moody Indie Rock Sound on Debut LP Spiel (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Spiel by Office Dog Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. ^ Donelson, Marcy. "Office Dog – Spiel Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Office Dog – Spiel". Mojo. March 2024. p. 88.
  5. ^ "Office Dog – Spiel". Uncut. January 2024. p. 34.
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