My computer dings, I’ve got a premiere to do! I see the words Dumb and Alleyways pop up and instantly gulp; realising this is going to bring back a lot of traumatic flashbacks. I wanted to sound educated in my write up for the excellence that is this song, so I Googled the definition for the word “dumb”. But all I got was “temporarily unable or unwilling to speak” spat back out at me. I’m not 100% certain, but I don’t think that’s what inspired this track, or my father when he would scream said word in my young, innocent face.
No; Dumb is an upbeat and energetic record, centred around doing something stupid, which is unfortunately how all the best stories start, as well as most arrests. Alleyways have an incredibly vibrant song on their hands here – it holds you hostage for the duration of it, making you dance mercilessly until it’s all over and you collapse on the floor, red-faced and in need of a bath.
Opening up with a beautiful bit of synth and funky guitar that brings back memories of 2013, when Daft Punk ruled the airways with the timeless banger Get Lucky. Is it acceptable to say Dumb is groovy, or do I sound like I’m modelling my writing style after Austin Powers? Is that reference outdated? Who knows – all I recognise is I’m enjoying what I’m hearing, and the vocals combine with the instrumentation like Ant & Dec; seamlessly and gloriously. Only without the massive foreheads.
Dumb is just one of those songs you can easily envision being played on the charts, thankfully knocking Justin Bieber’s track about ragging his missus off the top spot. Thank you, Alleyways. Even though your name is scary, I appreciate you. It’s a fantastically fun tune, and I look forward to what else they have to offer in the future. Dumb is out on the 20th March. You can stream it here: