Bristol’s Grandmas House kick off 2026 with ‘DOG,’ their first new release of the year and a sharp pivot into heavier territory.

Out now via Brace Yourself Records, the track doesn’t waste time announcing itself, and snap from the first bar, but there’s a precision to it that keeps things from spilling over. The whole thing moves with a sense of control that feels newly honed. The song took shape during a stretch when one member was dealing with a long, unresolved illness, years of symptoms without answers. That tension bleeds through. There’s frustration in the phrasing, a sense of being talked over, misread, left to sit with something that won’t change. It’s not really framed as a singular story so much as a shared one…. illness, grief, mental strain, the kind of things. What stands out is how the band handle it sonically. The vocals are pushed forward and multiplied, layered lines that climb into three-part harmonies, especially on the chorus, which carries a faint surf edge. It’s one of the clearest evolutions in their sound so far, more space, more dynamics…

“‘DOG’ is about a feeling,” the band say. “It came from dealing with something no one could properly explain. Everyone carries something, whether it’s illness, grief, or just the weight of things catching up. It doesn’t go away. It waits.”

Linking up with producer Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Perfume Genius, Yard Act) proved a revelatory experience for the band during a difficult time. They explain: “Working with Ali Chant on this in the studio was a cathartic experience. We’ve been playing this song live for a while now and it’s become a staple on our setlist, so we didn’t know how it was going to translate to a recorded track. Ali really saw our vision and captured the urgency of the song along with its dark harmonies and layered vocals.”

Headline photo: Marie Dutton

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Brace Yourself Records Website / Instagram / Bandcamp

Grandmas House