Review: "dust dog" - TEHYA

With Tehya’s new release “Dust Dog” (stylized as “dust dog”), the analogy of being like a dog shines with metaphors and references. Going through a breakup at the time of writing this song, Tehya writes about the “long leashes” in her relationship and how she can be found “by the door / waitin’ for [her partner].” It’s infuriating to Tehya, writing that “[her partner] has some nerve” and that they can go “find [their] own damn pot to piss in.” With the relationship stagnant and staying in the toxic cycle, Tehya is begging, needing a “sign that [she’s] moving forward.” The annoyance and impatience Tehya expresses throughout the song comes through and with it Tehya’s perspective of herself in this relationship falls perfectly into the analogy created.

I wouldn’t have thought to compare a toxic relationship or someone’s role in a relationship to a dog, but through Tehya’s simple metaphors, I actually really enjoy it. The simple references about keeping guard and tight collars really shine and keep the song grounded in the analogy Tehya has, making it easy to follow for listeners and keep up without getting confused. Not only that, Tehya also doesn’t over explain it and lets the analogy tell itself. It’s simple and to-the-point, something that I really enjoyed. While the lyrics are the main point of the song, the instrumentals mesh well. With a simple beat and horns coming in throughout the chorus, the simplicity of the music doesn’t take away from the analogy and doesn’t overwhelm the listener.

With the release of “Dust Dog,” Tehya has also released her new EP, “Sorry for the Wait.” With the EP being centered around her coming of age in the music industry, Tehya has found her footing. The 24-year-old songwriter hails from the Pacific Northwest, with inspiration from her music coming from her background as a Filipino-Native American and her father, a funk drummer. A self-taught instrumentalist and songwriter, Tehya’s work is uniquely her own. Having graced the cover of both NME magazine and Spotify’s “Fresh Finds” playlist, Tehya has gained a following of over 63,000 monthly listeners on Spotify as well as over 11,000 followers on Instagram. You can keep up with Tehya’s new releases on her social media, linked down below.

Written By Abby Mornhinweg

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