Reading’s alternative sensation doops have officially dropped their highly anticipated debut full-length album, The Space Between, and it’s already causing a stir in the UK indie scene. Fusing Psychedelic Rock, Punk, and Indie, the album is a bold statement from a band whose creativity seems limitless. With ten tracks that oscillate between fuzz-laden intensity and contemplative, melodic reflection, doops showcase a maturity well beyond their years. This is not just a debut; it’s a declaration of intent.
Recorded with impromptu drums at Brighton’s Farm Road Studios alongside rising engineer Spencer Withey, the album’s remaining instrumentation, mixing, and mastering were handled by the band themselves. The DIY approach isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a philosophy. As the band explains, “In crafting these ten tracks, we also learned to mix and master—striving to capture the full spectrum of doops’ distinctive soundscape and, in doing so, fully embracing the DIY ethos.” The result is a record that feels both meticulously crafted and rawly immediate, a true reflection of the band’s artistic identity.
Tracks like ‘Idle Hands’ and ‘Fever Tree’ hit with swirling, psychedelic punk energy, while ethereal numbers such as ‘Forget-Me-Not’ and ‘Falling’ invite listeners into introspective soundscapes. Andy Bingham, the band’s frontman, puts it succinctly: “The Space Between is our first attempt at a full-fledged album, aimed at encapsulating both sides of our sonic abilities—from heavier, fast-paced tracks to softer, introspective arrangements.” This duality, balancing visceral punch with nuanced melody, underscores the band’s adventurous spirit.
The album’s genesis followed the arrival of drummer Roddy Bailey in late 2022, whose multi-instrumental talents, alongside floating member Cameron Smith’s synth and guitar textures, expanded doops’ “wall of sound” approach. The lineup, completed by Andy Bingham (guitars, vocals, synths) and Luke Connor (bass, backing vocals), has been road-testing these tracks for years. Live favorites like ‘Idle Hands’, ‘Fever Tree’, and ‘E.Y.N.W.’ already hint at the band’s signature blend of swampy grooves, Pixies-esque dynamics, and sly lyricism. Lyrically, the album moves beyond sci-fi motifs into personal, introspective terrain, exploring the turbulence of late-twenties uncertainty and early-thirties responsibility.
doops are no strangers to national attention. With plays from Radio X’s John Kennedy and steadfast support from BBC Introducing, plus glowing nods from DIY, Rough Trade, Clash, Notion, and Dork, the band is earmarked as a must-watch act. Live, they’ve shared stages with rising UK talent and graced venues from Brixton Windmill to major festival stages. With The Space Between, doops prove they’re not just a live sensation—they’re a band capable of crafting an album that’s as challenging as it is accessible, as frenetic as it is reflective, and undeniably, unapologetically their own.
