In terms of musical invention, Dragon Welding’s self titled debut from 2019 was a very interesting record. The duo mixed genres with glee: ‘The Builders’ hit the audience with a huge post-punk riff; ‘One Miserable Summer’ flaunted a lo-fi indie sound; ‘Join The Dots’ took the rock-centric core and applied that to a fuzzy backdrop that sounded like a Queens of The Stone Age cast off, and ‘Lament For Common Sense’ closed everything with a seven minute experimental drone owing a little more to Krautrock. Not that any of this prepared their audience for the sonic experiments that would follow. 2021’s completely instrumental ‘Lights Behind The Eyes’ took in elements of post-rock (‘Liquid’), the intricacies of California Guitar Trio (the brilliant title track) and even something that sounded like Mike Oldfield in a very bad mood (‘On’).
Their 2025 release, ‘The Naughty Step’, is as different again. In Dragon Welding’s own words it was time for things to take “a more song oriented direction”, but that doesn’t actually make any of the material any more accessible. The album’s best track, ‘Up & Away’ has a spiky quality, but not immediately, and – in typical Dragon Welding fashion – never shared in the most typical way. The opening of the number introduces a speed driven, programmed beat, suggesting a love of synth pop and electronica (something that certainly didn’t play a part in the duo’s earlier work), along with a world of old school keys which adds a quirky selection of sounds. There’s something at play that sort of sounds like a marriage between Vampire Weekend and Landscape: it’s simple, yet busy; interesting without trying too hard, and its reliance on a very natural vocal merely accentuates an almost cheeky arrangement. Bringing in some hard edged guitar chords adds a strong post punk element (even then, it’s the vaguest concession to a Dragon Welding past), and that should create a climax, but the number still refuses to settle. Despite an ever-shifting sound, it’s all held together brilliantly when, chorus-wise, the duo bring out the big guns with a sharp and repetitive hook that really sticks. Stylistically, this is a world away from their more melodic ‘Cromer Gulls’ and even further away from the mood of Dragon Welding’s debut album, but there’s still a lot to enjoy packed into an insanely tight four minutes.
‘We Dance Among You’ isn’t quite as immediate, but it’s certainly jusr as interesting. A busy rhythm peppered with quirky percussion sets a great tempo in place and, contrasting the fast backdrop, a world of cinematic synth work lays down a blanket of sound. The energy here could appear tiring at first, but a grandiose vocal that sounds like a cross between an old new wave act and Jake Shillingford from My Life Story brings an extra layer of melody that helps everything flow just a little more naturally. As with ‘Up & Away’, this is quirky in the extreme, but also impressively tight, especially considering the track centres around musical elements that, initially, don’t seem like a natural fit. ‘Chase The Space’, meanwhile, kicks off with a world of random noises and fractured beats, before finding its feet via a glam-ish stomp, augmented with stringed sounds that draw more from the world of folky jigs. The marriage of sounds is a curious one; it shouldn’t work, but a strong vocal and an even stronger repetitive hook act as a strong glue, and by the time the number reaches its mid point, the combination of heavy bass, indie rock chugging and strange grinding feels surprisingly natural.
‘Start Believing, Start Living The Lie’ reintroduces more of an industrial flavour, but a fast tempo and heavy beat pushes the fuzzy sounds into more of an alternative dance sphere, whilst a very British sounding vocal draws vague parallels with Primal Scream during their brief noisy phase. There’s little to nothing you could link with the previous tracks here, but its still cool in its own way. Elsewhere, ‘We Are Following Straight Lines’ works a strong mechanical groove. Its off-kilter rhythm sounds like something Les Claypool would use to tease the Primus audience, whilst the electronica vibes are pure Dragon Welding…if there is even such a thing. Factor in some post-punk vocals driven by harmonies and twangy guitar lines more akin to an old rockabilly tune, and you end up with something that vaguely sounds like DAF colliding with Gang of Four. As with a lot of Dragon Welding tunes, there’s a feeling that it shouldn’t work, but it’s to the duo’s eternal credit that it ultimately does. What’s more, it gives the album another oddly catchy number that sounds better over time. For those hoping for more of an obvious melody ‘Come On Flat Earthling’ is likely to join ‘Up & Away’ as the album’s highlight since its a track that comes loaded with harmony vocals, a massive alternative 80s vibe and a pulsing synth that gives the band a really tight sound. It mightn’t necessarily have any other obvious musical links to anything else on this disc and it isn’t until a metallic guitar arrives at the end that much of a connection can be drawn with the band’s past, but at this point, the gloves are truly off – there really is no such thing as a “typical” Dragon Welding sound.
In a lot of ways, its easy to hear why ‘The Naughty Step’ was chosen as the title track, especially since the increased use of synths fits with the Dragon Welding’s newer musical colours present throughout the album, but in terms of immediacy, it’s one of the record’s lesser tracks. It’s all about sharing cold atmospheres, and taking late 80s influences into a really sparse landscape. However, with some great, slightly reverbed guitar and a huge, almost theatrical vocal courtesy of Nik Cockshott, it really works on its own terms. ‘Hiding Things For Fun’ also shows a sinister side to the band by opening with a slow pulsebeat and strange, warbling synth. The arrival of a few bright sounding notes doesn’t really add anything any more mainstream; instead, a rising and falling melody seeks to unsettle the listener even further. By the time everything is linked via noises that sound like howling cats, there’s nothing here that’s remotely commercial. It’s down to a huge vocal to link the sparsely arranged elements, and on that score, by sharing broad melodic strokes that sound as if they’re inspired in equal measure by Marc Almond and Glen Gregory, Cockshott really excels. By the time the simple hook arrives – augmented by a well placed harmony – those who’ve found a liking for this strange piece will certainly love it. As with a few tracks here, this doesn’t share the perfection of ‘Up and Away’, or any of its sharp but melodic musical approach, but in showing how unafraid these musicians can be when it comes to studio based experimentation, this will still be a hit with those who’ve already found a love for Dragon Welding and their eclectic approach.
‘The Naughty Step’ is a lot of things: it’s as sharp and interesting as Dragon Welding’s prior works; it’s sometimes melodic, but often much quirkier; it’s sometimes even wilfully difficult. Like Ecce Shnak – but without the really scary, noisy aspects – this shares a listening experience that rewards a little patience. For the more adventurous ear, it could even uncover new treats on each successive spin. It isn’t every day listening, but when if the mood fits, this will provide a very interesting addition to the most eclectic record collection.
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April/May 2025