by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story

‘Loud ambient’ is an ironic term The Black Dog coined for music that didn’t quite fit in with their series My Brutal Life – but also took on a humourous bent when they considered how they are seen in some circles as making purely ambient music.

As this album reminds us, that is emphatically not the case, and if anything proves their most instinctive form of music. For Loud Ambient began as a response to Rothko’s artwork, specifically his use of colour fields, blending, mood and scale. The band fed these responses through work on their beloved 909, 808 and 707 keyboards.

As the band say, during recording, “everything just fell into place creatively. Surprisingly for us, the tracklisting never changed, just small tweaks here and there. That rarely happens. It marks a first for us as a band. All the stars aligned and the confidence in this album is the strongest we have ever had.

Loud Ambient was made to dance to, something we have not done in a while. We welcome the return to the dancefloor with both hands. Will you join us?”

What’s the music like?

We will definitely join The Black Dog on the dancefloor if this is the music they are dancing to! The ten tracks are completely free of padding, really satisfyingly worked, instinctive and – as they say – confidently dispatched.

This is a strong set of energised electronic music with a bucketload of melodic interest, bolstered by chunky chords above the quicker beats. There are ambient hints of course, but the likes of They Came For My Head get on with things in a pretty lively fashion. The excellent Double Drop Nightmares nips along, while Reality Comes Crashing Back In charms with its chattering and bleeping, as does the amiable Rumination Romance.

Meanwhile the rich tones of Pamphlet offer warm comfort at the end.

Does it all work?

Yes – and it’s all hugely enjoyable. A real representation of fun had in the studio!

Is it recommended?

It is indeed. The Black Dog are incredibly prolific these days, but Loud Ambient is another example of just how consistently strong their work is, whether you’re in the hammock or on the dancefloor!

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,735 – Monday 1 December 2025