Album review: Dohnut- I Scream You Scream

The latest album from Bentham band Dohnut (formerly known as eating disorder) has more front than a contingent of punks gatecrashing a 90s rave. I Scream, You Scream is the follow up to the six piece collective's debut Eat More Cake, and features songs that have been prevalent in their live sets for a while.
I Scream, You ScreamI Scream, You Scream
I Scream, You Scream

It kicks off with a big groove in the form of Rave Superstar No 1 - bass, drums, wah wah guitars and spangly synths combine to rival the massive opener People In Dub from their first album. The groove continues with Weirdo I Love You and Rocket, female vocals adding smooth overtones. For me, Eat More Cake was always going to be a hard one to beat. Its style and energy is unique, however the band has taken I Scream, You Scream in a different direction. There’s more of a pop/punk vibe, it’s simpler, catchier, and opening sample vocal “I’m getting older and I just want to relax and enjoy life...” indicates a less vexed approach. It’s no less funk filled however – We Made A Spark is a dubby, solid stomper of a song, and precedes the fun, more naturally punk/ska sounding Big Gaye Al.

Butcher is definitely a grower, and for those that remember Scottish electronic band The Shamen, there’s a real treat in the form of a cover and rework of their 25-year-old single Move Any Mountain. There are shades of edgy techno darkness creeping around the perimeters of the album too.

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Part of the band’s appeal is their refusal to conform, their theatrical stage presence and imagery, their genre hopping style and their nameless, enigmatic band members (1 - 6) each bringing something unique to the table .

Dohnut 1 and 6Dohnut 1 and 6
Dohnut 1 and 6

It’s been a busy year for Dohnut following a raft of festival performances across the country and supporting punk icons The Damned. I Scream, You Scream pulls all that together and is something solid to grab hold of in what has been a tumultuous, confusing 2016. The album is available at their bandcamp page on CD and digital download.

Get it HERE