London three-piece Domina are calmly ushering themselves into āones to watchā territory. Unhurried, they first emerged with a string of low-key YouTube-only releases, early sketches and ideas that hinted at their potential.
Since then, theyāve been taken under the wing of Young, the XL-affiliated label, and begun recording at the Young Space in Dalston.
Whatās most striking about Domina isnāt just their measured, understated presence as a band, but the way their sound mirrors it. Drawing on the cool restraint of Lebanon Hanover and the hushed dreaminess of Beach House, they shape something affecting, yet in no hurry to reveal everything at once.
Their third and final single ahead of a debut EP, āSnakeā, is an understated gem. Gentle, lilting vocals are set against the blunt, spoken-word delivery of a male counterpart, an interplay that mirrors their balance of analogue and digital textures: cyclical, tender guitar strums offset by church-like synths.
The song unfolds like a dialogue. Thereās an uncanny familiarity to the track, a mellow atmosphere on the surface, beneath which lurks something darker.
š§ Listen to āSnakeā below