VANDERLYE AMPLIFY THE WORLD’S ATROCITIES IN NEW EP ‘DYSTOPIA CALLING’

EP REVIEW | VANDERLYE – DYSTOPIA CALLING by Morgan Hermiston

In 2025, Vanderlye released their debut EP The Reckoning, a production filled with vibrancy, catchy hooks, and melodies you’ll remember. Over a year on from this, the Scots have taken a turn, one that brings to light the turbulent world we live in. Dystopia Calling is the Scots’ way of amplifying the atrocities taking place in the likes of Gaza, and displaying their distaste for other aspects of life, such as a heavy reliance on social media and living our lives for the gaze and opinions of someone else.

Dystopia Calling begins with the intro to ‘Blackout Sky‘, which blends seamlessly into the track itself. The 2025 single was described by frontman Sean McGarvey as “a reflection on lives silenced by displacement and a call for empathy“. It gives Palestinians, and others affected by war, a place to see their struggles and turmoil personified. It removes the blindfold, refusing to remain ignorant of abhorrent attitudes, and asks “how much bloodshed is enough?“

With ‘Blackout Sky‘ moulding its message over the first two tracks on Dystopia Calling, we come to ‘One Way Train‘. With this single, they raise their own observations of calamitous comparisons, and how they ruin our own perceptions of our current positions in life. McGarvey said he’d looked at the relationships of those around him, and his own previous relationships, through “rose-tinted glasses“. This song strips back that facade, allowing a more vulnerable voicing of concerns to shine through. I previously wrote that ‘One Way Train‘ is an “ethereal and evocative escapade“, and I suppose I extend that comment to the EP’s entirety.

‘Step Back‘ is probably my favourite song from Dystopia Calling, primarily because of its heavier sound. Compared to their 2025 debut EP, the contrast between the sounds is not only intentional, but so intriguing. The beginning is encapsulated into a thunderous tempo that is almost mechanical sounding, representing the mechanical grinding out of ignorant ideologies. Lyrics tell you to “step away from your computer screen” and its “negative energy”, as well as repeating the message “don’t believe the truth”. This fourth track challenges the close-minded attitudes prevailed and pushed onto us with an aim to divide.

The final track, ‘There Must Be a Way Out‘ is an excellent end to the EP. There is a haunting harmony between light and distinctive vocals, intertwined into intricate instrumentals. With the tempo picking up around halfway through, Jamie Morrison, Jonathan Meagher, and Calum Steel underpin Vanderlye’s unique sound, as well as a dynamic dual-vocal moment from McGarvey and bassist Becky Clarke.

I think that Dystopia Calling is Vanderlye’s way of not only challenging mindsets and attitudes to different subjects, but also pushing back on music’s monotonous momentum of seeking immediate satisfaction, or gratification. Each song has multiple layers to it. On the surface, you may have an indie melody, but below this surface is a level of poetic and political poignance, with messages that will resonate in some shape or form, or at least provoke thought. The artwork does the exact same thing; its purposeful and powerful perception of the band’s penmanship creates a visual element to highlight the crucial discussions.

At times, the EP takes a little adjusting from a listener’s perspective, but when you begin to form connections between the artwork, the lyrics, and the melodies, you’ll soon experience the all-consuming and all-encompassing atmosphere that Dystopia Calling intends to instigate.

Dystopia Calling is an easy EP to recommend listening to, and you can find it here. Keep an eye out on their socials for future performances where you can hear this EP, as well as their debut tracks, in a live setting.