Musicians often find it is better to collaborate than work all on their own.
From main eventers to bands just starting out, a large part of today’s music is written collaboratively, and local band Dash Hounds are no exception to this trend.
Local musician Alivia Kleinfeldt discovered this for herself as she realized she had a talent for beginning the songwriting process, but didn’t quite have the knack for creating a finished product.
It wasn’t until she met fellow local Brendan Marley after joining a band with him, that she found her musical second half. The two quickly realized that together they could only benefit from each other’s musical skill sets.
Last year, at ages of 19 and 20, Kleinfeldt and Marley decided to double down on their chemistry as artists by forming Dash Hounds, a musical project featuring just the two of them.
In the time that passed, the band, whose name stems from Kleinfeldt’s pronunciation on the breed dachshund, has been creating new material, fine-tuning it and all while playing shows in the Madison area. This has manifested itself in their recently released debut EP Eft. The project consists of five tracks that each take the listener on a journey. Several of the songs are over seven minutes and involve a variety of emotions and musical stylings.
“It’s a good mixture of a lot of different things,” Kleinfeldt said. “It touches on a lot of lyrical themes as it deals with depression and unhealthy relationships. It’s kind of emotional and all over the place but has moments of clarity. It really is a dynamic rollercoaster.”
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The band’s dream pop or alternative rock sound is sure to capture the attention of many who are looking for something different and outside the norm of pop radio.
The duo said iconic bands such as Radiohead and Interpol influenced them. Dash Hound’s EP is certainly reminiscent of this indie rock of the ’90s, with its tense guitars and often emotionally-charged vocals.
Like their influences, Dash Hounds are concerned with making music for people that are passionate and knowledgeable about the art form. They believe their music will interest people who enjoy analyzing music and all of its minute details.
This fall the band sets out on their first “mini” tour consisting of six shows across the Midwest, including two in their hometown of Madison. The live shows include Kleinfeldt on the guitar and Marley on the drums, with an assisting bassist and guitarist.
In the future, Dash Hounds hope to continue working as a band and playing as much as they possibly can. They said they are already thinking about their next release — a full length album.
“My biggest goal is to write the highest quality of music we possibly can and put it out for everyone to hear and then we will see what happens,” Marley said.
At such young ages, Dash Hounds are already all in on their musical and writing careers. 2016 will continue to be a year of firsts for a duo that is just getting started on their journey.
The combination of the the band’s youth with their debut EPs mature and dynamic polish is a great start to a career that’s just beginning.
