‘Animal Frequencies’ is the debut album from the Northampton based duo, The Dodo Appreciation Society. Created by Neil Saunders and Sam Sherwood in 2022, the project recorded and released their first album on 4th June 2025. With the intention of musically representing the animal kingdom and showcasing some of their live show energy, Christopher Barns of Backland Studios recorded and produced the experimental debut. With influences ranging from the Residents to Cannibal Corpse, the band have some fun with their instrumentation. Layering cajons, synths, and acoustic guitars, ‘Animal Frequencies’ is an absurdly fun, playful, and surprising debut. With every song titled after and representing a different animal, the tracks on this record are suitably bizarre and eccentric yet thoughtful.
Beginning with the opener “Fish”, the opening track feels like a weirdly catchy rhythmic romp. Continuing with “Kitten Kisses & Puppy Dog Tails”, the charm and humor of this track make it an instant standout and crowd-pleaser. The pace and feel of the record then takes a different turn with “The Sex Life Of A Slug”. The slow throb of the song evokes a heavier, even doomier sound that’s hard not to get pulled into. The next track “Elephant” also plays with a greater sense of weight, a slow, lumbering sense of grandeur. “Shrimp” again changes the mood entirely, bringing in the offbeat humor and honky-tonk fun of this record. “Wasp In The Bedroom” also captures the chaotic flitting and frenzied buzzing of its titular insect, an outburst of unpredictable fun. The penultimate track “Prison For A Frog” moves to a country fried, slightly loping sense of groove. This track too is fun, strange, and comforting in its strangeness. Varied and eccentric, these first half of songs come together in a varied but connected set of songs and soundscapes.
The band continue this musical inventiveness into the second half of the album. With “The Worm” feeling like a slow, low to the ground meander, there’s a slight sense of catchiness too. Instrumentally, “Octopus” gives the listener a number of sensory tentacles to wrap themselves around, the track sprawling across several layers of sound that build and shift in feel. “Death-Head Hawk-Moth” then finds the band coming back to a darker, more foreboding feel and a jarring sense of eeriness. The final track “Mathematical Fly Art” on the other hand feels like an experiment, like unbridled chaos that the band have pulled back just enough to make a song. The result of this record is a wild and unforgettable ride. Fun, strange, and a clear statement of intent, ‘Animal Frequencies’ is a superb debut full-length. For fans of albums that are entertaining but break from the conventions of normal music, ‘Animal Frequencies’ is worth your time.
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