DICTATOR – MIDDLE OF THE ROAD- EP REVIEW

Never content to sit still, Dictator have evolved their sound with every new release. There’s always been a beat-driven core to what the band does, but as they’ve matured we’ve seen their focus shifting. Some highlights of the Dictator back catalogue include the progressive, sweeping and almost unbearably emotive alt-rock of ‘Moonlight’ in 2021; the sample-heavy, jaunty ‘Rubik’s Cube’ in 2022; and rich, hazy and introspective ‘Stan Smith’ in 2023. All the while, we’ve been seeing greater helpings of hip-hop sitting in comfortable tandem with their trusty guitars.

Last autumn, Dictator dropped ‘HL7’ and announced a new EP. That track marked a gut-punching elevation of their style: Dictator had discovered a whole new, rich seam of sounds and were ready to shout further and wider than ever before. It was a clear sign of really exciting things to come in 2025.

And now the ‘Middle of the Road’ EP is here. It comes in with old- school swagger: I defy you to sit still while you’re listening to ‘Figure it Out’! Combining East Coast style with smatterings of French, shamelessly brassy riffs and Michael Campbell’s legendary, heartfelt vocals, it’s pure Dictator — a sound distilled from the band’s West Lothian roots and pointing unerringly towards their dream of New York City.

‘1’z n O’z’ picks up the baton effortlessly. “While you’re breaking barriers, be careful where you tread” Michael sings, introducing a new set of impossibly fat beats, NASA samples, and bars from CHEF THE RAPPER (a well-chosen collaborator who adds rich, gravelly rap tones). This is a seriously solid tune, delivered with quirky, rolling energy by a band who never take themselves too seriously.

CHEF gets some great lines here, too: “Even if I die young, Imma die legendary, so it’s either you forgive me or forget me… you see me?”

‘HL7’ finds its comfortable place as track 3 of the EP, pushing the record forward on the back of that huge, warping bass line. The track fades away with an unsettling power down, making way for perhaps the most interesting track on the disc (although there’s stiff competition).

‘El Niño’ features another buzzy bassline, crisp beats and an atmospheric, winding fiddle line interspersed with shivery, trip- hop strings — listen closer and you’ll find layers which are deep and many. But over all this floats a hollow vocal line, very much minor key and conjuring haunting feelings.

“Feels like you’ve been gone for far too long / can all but hear your echo in my heart where you belong,” Michael sings with intense yearning. I can’t think of many bands other than Dictator who could successfully combine the opposing feelings of bounce and chill in that way.

On a record only 12 minutes long, Dictator have proved their credentials. This band are special, and deserve every success coming their way.

Listen to Middle of The Road here now