Perfectly encapsulating the hopeful, if slightly foreboding, time that it was recorded in, ‘Dare of the Hog’ is a wildly ambitious return from the London septet For Breakfast.
With each member boasting vastly different musical backgrounds, this is more apparent than ever when you listen to ‘Dare of the Hog’ – it’s almost like it’s being pulled in multiple different directions, across different genres and musical eras. The result is a brilliant, if a bit bizarre, almost seven-minute-long track, something fans of the band will be accustomed to and will no doubt lap up.
The song is deeply immersive, and listening to it while walking home in the dark can only be described as an Experience, with a capital E. It’s a bit creepy, a bit harrowing, and a bit life-affirming – just like the track itself, really. The first half feels almost as though it’s come straight from the Uncanny Valley – a bit dark, a bit gothic, and, to be honest, a bit weird, although that’s certainly not a criticism. The track picks up in the second half, and the latter three minutes showcase the band’s ability to write with a real thrilling energy. This also allows certain members to shine here, with Maya Harrison, in particular showcasing her soaring vocals, and the outro is fantastic with Will Eckersley’s bombastic drumming.
If you haven’t heard For Breakfast’s debut EP Songs in the Key of O, or their triumphant 2022 EP Trapped in the Big Room, you really should, because ‘Dare of the Hog’, is a certifiably brilliant addition to a discography that promises to continue hitting highs.
Words: Rosie Smith // Photo: Marieke Hulzinga
‘Dare of the Hog’ is out now via Glasshouse Records. Purchase or stream the track via Bandcamp.