It’s graduation season, in the most DIY of senses, as this week brings the good news that Los Angeles underground noise-pop darlings Dummy have been signed to legendary indie Polyvinyl Records. Looking back on the band’s earliest days when they were releasing EPs as cassettes on Justice Tripp’s Pop Wig imprint before putting out two outstanding albums — with their most recent, Free Energy, topping these pages’ best of 2024 — on the dearly departed label Born Again Records, to getting where they are now has been one music’s most enjoyable fresh sonic rides over the years.

The level-up is well deserved for vocalist and synthesist Emma Maatmaan, vocalist and guitarist Nathan O’Dell, guitarist Joe Trainor, drummer Alex Ewell, and newest member in bassist Lance Umble who will start moving into their new Midwestern home over at Polyvinyl by reissuing both their 2022 debut, Mandatory Enjoyment, and the aforementioned Free Energy, as they’ve been out of print for a minute now. It’s a good chance for the uninitiated to catch up as well across all formats, and if you aren’t familiar with their top-notch live game as well, they’re giving you a glimpse into that sensory delight by sharing a performance video of the Free Energy highlight, “Unshaped Road”, recorded in the round at Los Angeles’ Lodge Room late last year.

That said, can we now finally get Dummy on a tour opening for their new labelmates and fellow ambient pop aficionados Alvvays? Because that just makes too much sense.

Directed by: Katie Ryan

Dummy’s Mandatory Enjoyment and Free Energy reissues will be released September 6th on Polyvinyl Records.