The Ghost Is Clear Records spent 2025 uncovering gem after glorious gem, including some of Heavy Blog's favourite releases from Blue Youth, Halfmass and Mercy Ties. 2026 is shaping up rather nicely too, with quality efforts from the likes of Sealer and Pretty Baby. Next up on the TGIC conveyor belt of goodness is BEDTIMEMAGIC, with their fourth full length, Lie Down With Dogs.
For the uninitiated, this is just two guys, a drummer who also handles synth/samples and a bassist who screams like his life depends on it, but together they make one hell of a racket. In fact, the first thing that hits you about this album is that it is seriously fucking loud! You can literally feel the sheer volume and unbridled energy emanating through this record. Everything is turned up to eyeball rattling levels and the production harnesses this in a brilliantly raw delivery. The BEDTIMEMAGIC sound bounces around between noise rock, post-punk and even smatterings of sludge. Think of an unstable Entrench era KEN Mode and you're getting close, but with some random unexpected moments thrown in for good measure.
Opener, "Doze(r)" lures you in with some dastardly big hooks and a finale full of melodic melancholy undertones which soften—nay, tenderise—for what lies in wait further down the line. “Cuddle Buddies” is a glorious galloping piece of noise rock that Unsane would be proud of. "The Slumber Party (Part II)" is where the mask starts to slip, with the vocals sounding more unhinged than before, almost with Lightning Bolt levels of distortion and intensity. "Can't Get Up" is one of my highlights as its tumbling drums and repetitive riff play out to a backdrop of an alarm clock beeping throughout with screams of "I want it to get worse before it gets better!". There is a genuine sense of morning dread and anxiety that will no doubt be familiar to a lot of listeners, with the band managing to perfectly recreate the feeling of hitting that snooze button and not wanting the day to start.
The second half of the record feels much more challenging, with traditional song structures pushed to one side in favour of a full throttle “anything goes” attitude. This even includes an intro of European EDM on “Morning Wood”. Yet, somehow it all seems to work. The sonic assault reaches its peak on “%100 Down Filling” where everything sits in the red for the duration, leaving your ears ringing. You may have noticed that every single song on this record (and all of BEDTIMEMAGIC's previous releases) has a sleep-themed title, but you definitely shouldn't sleep on this album, especially if chaotic noise rock is your thing. Besides, once you've started listening to the claustrophobic cacophony on offer, a bit of shuteye will be the last thing you'll want to do.