deary have been building toward this moment, and ‘Birding’ makes clear the wait was worth every second. The debut full-length from the dreampop three-piece is out now via Bella Union, and it’s the sound of a band who know exactly who they are and what they’re making.
New single “Alfie” arrives alongside a beautifully shot video directed by Limb, and it’s a remarkable piece of music. What began as a tender ode to guitarist Ben Easton’s family dog who had just passed, an emotional release of the reins of childhood, blossomed into a Sigur Rós-style wall of intricately crafted noise that runs 7 and a half minutes and earns every one of them.
‘Birding’ spans 11 tracks that move from soaring shoegaze riffs to cloud-light sprinkles of ethereal indie, following lead single “Seabird,” which drew acclaim from Stereogum, Clash, The Line Of Best Fit, BrooklynVegan, and God Is In The TV. The album was self-produced by the band in collaboration with longtime collaborator Iggy B, a decision that paid off completely.
The title carries real meaning. Singer and guitarist Dottie Cockram explains: “You find these beautiful images of birds that represent hope, but they’re also animals. Some of them, like vultures and crows, are a sign of death to some people. They represent all these different elements, which I think sum up a lot of the album.”
Ben frames the album’s emotional core directly. “The album is all about human consequences. Consequences on each other, our own minds, on mental health, on nature. It goes with the vulnerability of our inner selves, or the child in us, which pairs with the album art, a kid trying to fly.”
deary came together during COVID lockdown, with Ben stepping away from the southeast London scene to write more emotional, introspective music. A mutual friend brought Dottie in during 2021, and the pair bonded immediately over a shared love of Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine. Drummer Harry Catchpole joined later, completing the lineup that recorded ‘Birding’.
Dottie captures the band’s evolution with precision. “Our last EP was us trying to be deary,” says Ben, “and this album is us being deary.” That distinction comes through in every corner of ‘Birding’. It’s a confident, emotionally rich debut from a band fully in command of their sound.
‘Birding’ Tracklist:
- Smile
- Seabird
- Baby’s Breath
- Gypsophila
- Blue Ribbon
- Garden Of Eden
- Alma
- No Sweeter Feeling
- Terra Fable
- Alfie
- Birding