Under the Radar: Doom Scroller

Doom Scroller create a captivating blend of sounds, write Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon

Doom Scroller are the brainchild of Alex Auldsmith, who works across a range of creative disciplines including music, video art, dance, poetry and theatre, as well as finding time to run an antique map shop on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. He recruited Alex Palmer after hearing him playing his drum kit in the middle of a field on Lindisfarne and a mutual acquaintance introduced him to producer Scott Bathgate who also plays bass and keyboards.

The trio create a captivating blend of sounds, which have an ethereal soulfulness while still being eminently listenable, making their forthcoming album, The Flat Earth, one of our favourites so far this year. Released on 31 May on the label New Teeth Leith, (including a limited edition vinyl run), it also features guest appearances by fellow creative magicians Kapil Seshasayee, Gloria Black from Maranta and polymath Iona Lee.

Their contributions are complemented by a range of field recordings made by Auldsmith including the sound of Chinese opera, Japanese bullet trains, a call to prayer and plane safety announcements.

Doom Scroller launch the album at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh on 31 May and play The Skinny stage at Kelburn Garden Party on 5 July, see www.linktr.ee/doomscrollertheband

Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide visit www.borntobewide.co.uk

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