“I See Orange” are back with an incredible new single, “Doll Guts”. It’s grunge, it’s rock, it’s anthemic, it’s fun, and it has a lot going on under the surface. It’s everything you want from this genre. It’s familiar but also fresh, and it marks a turning point for the band.
The band is now signed with JPU Records, which is a first because JPU Records, up until now, has only signed Japanese acts. So it’s a testament to their talent that they made such a profound impression on the label that they are now officially the first non-Japanese artist to sign with JPU Records.
Now let’s talk about the song’s theme. “Doll Guts” is about the discomfort and challenges of the human condition. We have “Nasty Guts” as the band puts it. We have technically two brains in our flesh prison. The regular one in the skull that most people are familiar with, and the second one is in your gut, scientifically known as the Enteric Nervous System. Which is where “gut feelings” come from. We are simultaneously the progenitors of these feelings, but we are also subject to them. Which is why becoming a doll is so intriguing. A doll is a pretty, hollow shell with no internal turmoil.
“I See Orange” tell this story in a beautifully musical way. Giselle Medina, who is the band’s lead, serving as the main writer, bassist, and composer, starts the song with a vintage music box sound: an heirloom from Medina’s family in Mexico. It plays a haunting melody that the drummer Charlie Hart mirrored on the glockenspiel in the song’s bridge. But it’s not all creepy melodies; the main drive of the song is a heavy grunge groove showcasing the trio’s chemistry, culminating in a tasty solo by guitarist Cameron Hill filled with fuzzy goodness.
“Doll Guts” is an absolutely powerful release, and it manages to stay true to the sound of the genre whilst providing something fresh and establishing a signature sound for the band. This is a must-listen, and I personally will be on the lookout when the full album drops later this year.
