DICE On Their Debut Album ‘Midnight Zoo’: ‘Open The Doors To A New Era’ (2024)

Perth’s current pride and joy, DICE, dropped their highly-anticipated debut album, Midnight Zoo, today (August 9). And, to celebrate, the quartet are taking The Music through an exclusive track-by-track explanation of the LP.

Midnight Zoo - named after what the band called their recording studio, Tone City Studios, during the making of the album - brings a more introspective sound compared to their earlier works.

The record, according to DICE, can be seen as a four-act play, with each act reflecting a different emotional state and time of day. Touching on addiction, grief, self-doubt, and hope, Midnight Zoo is the band at their most vulnerable.

“Termed Midnight Zoo because of its long nights, wild energy and full moon recordings, this title just fits like a glove with both the tracks and its creation. It's also always been a joke that the studio is like a zoo, and when it turns to night, that's when the magic happens,” they said.

The indie alt-rockers have been on the up-and-up for years now, bursting onto the scene in 2021. They became a real breakthrough act last year, though, with their song, Stockholm, landing at #72 on triple j’s Hottest 100 of 2023.

DICE have made quite the impact, consistently selling out shows, receiving accolades from fans and industry superstars alike - even Richard Kingsmill raved about their song Super-Vision - and quickly becoming one of the most talked about bands in the Aussie alt-rock scene.

Now, with the release of Midnight Zoo, DICE are going global - announcing a 24-stop world tour this year.

But before they go, the quartet have given us a track-by-track breakdown of their debut album.

Dancing In Darkness is about judging people based on looks and popularity rather than true displays of somebody's character. As the saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, and we found that one of the biggest places for it to occur is on a night out at a dance or club. We found the story of a captivating dance between two people could both relate and open up new perspectives on people.

We went through so many ups and downs with this song, changing instruments, structures and melodies. The lead riff started as a voice memo of Ben humming, which slowly became this roaring blend of strings, synth and guitar. It's definitely a statement piece for us, a song to open the doors to a new era of DICE.

Masquerade dives into the ups and downs of friendship in the age of social media obsession. The whole uproar of online media has become a 'masquerade', where people can present themselves how they choose but sometimes get lost in what’s real and what’s just for show.

We would probably still say this is unanimously our favourite song off the album. It was a song of many firsts for us. The first song Ben experimented with harmonies, the first track we finished writing in the studio and the first song we’ve experimented with a change in time signature.

The whole recording experience felt euphoric. This track was never meant to sound like it does and that’s probably why we love it so much. It was the outcome of two days locked in the ‘Midnight Zoo’.

Sunrise is about coping with grief after losing someone. Whilst holding personal meanings, this song was a way of saying that there are ways to get through grief. Organisations, family, friends, and communities are always there to support you. Sunrises can be symbolic of new life, beginnings or just a new day. We wanted this track to be optimistic, bright, and lively with the message that you can reach the sunrise.

This song was created probably two or so years ago in Regan’s parents’ house. It was the oldest demo we had for the album and it remained dormant, untouched for a long time. It definitely has the most important meaning to us, and while it was never intended to have been a deeper song, it has a sense of hope to it that we felt instantly.

Although This Is Not A Love Song does sound like a love song, we assure you it is not (or is it?). Have you met someone before and just thought, “Yep, they’re the one”, but you ended up feeling like a nervous schoolkid whilst they sat on a pedestal in your mind? This song tells the story of that so-called “Love”.

The song can be interpreted as either a love song or a realisation that the person you thought you loved wasn't truly the right match for you. Initially, they may seem flawless and you might experience those exhilarating early-stage feelings. However, with time, you come to understand that it was a misconception—a preference for a fantasy over reality. “You’ll make mistakes like I’ve made mine so live with yours and I’ll live mine”.

Tom had this riff for ages, never expanded on, just this one riff, over and over again. It sounded like the running scenes off Scooby Doo and so we decided to expand on that mysterious, adventurous, thriller mood. It was definitely one of the most fun songs to record and the music video was just a blast because we could just tie it all back to those running scenes in Scooby Doo.

Someday reflects on the sacrifices our careers have demanded, often straining relationships in the process. The song offers hope and reassurance, emphasising that despite the challenges, we and many others strive for a better future. Given the opportunity, we believe we can make a difference and “save it some day”.

Someday was a song Ben had written around two years ago and was the first song where piano was introduced into the band. Bringing in a slow piano ballad into a previously indie rock band was definitely a shock to the system, but a big stepping stone in shaping this album. It’s definitely one of the coolest songs on the album because nobody expects it.

Quick to Judge captures the dilemma of whether to go out or stay in. Sometimes, going out despite feeling intoxicated or anxious leads to fun and new experiences. Other times, it's wiser to prioritise self-care and head home. The song reflects this inner struggle, emphasising that the right choice depends on how we feel and the situation, not solely on others' opinions. It's about knowing what lights your fire, not following the crowd. As the lyrics say, “Don’t tell me that I’m higher, I don’t care what they say” and “If I don’t lock it down, I'm not going out, no I won't.”

Quick to Judge was really the first step into the new era of DICE. We wrote and recorded it in about two days, and even though we had four or so songs under our belt, it just felt like the right blend to move from our old music into our new. It was one of the most nerve-wracking moments releasing it, but seeing everyone's reactions made us so much more confident in ourselves to make the music we felt natural making.

Who doesn’t love a breakup song?! Everyone has their own stories, and instead of focusing on mine, you can interpret the lyrics in your own way. Whether you want to scream the words or stick up your middle finger, let them keep dreaming and let yourself feel how you want to.

Oh Dreamer was the last song on the album to be written and recorded. It went through changes and changes, picking apart the melodies, drums and guitars for days. It was probably (definitely) us overthinking the final piece of the record, but it ended up being this fun, uplifting end to the recording sessions of the Midnight Zoo.

Plead the Fifth captures a common scenario in relationships, work, family, and friendships—anywhere, really. It's that moment when you believe you've done everything right, given your best effort, only to be criticised or labelled as the villain. The song delves into this experience of staying silent while being told you're wrong, all the while internally itching to leave before you lose your cool. “I'll plead the fifth while you start the fire”.

A cool feature of this song was the experimentation of vocals and guitar. The melody and delay of the lead guitar was so addicting that we also added an almost operatic harmony of Ben’s vocals to elevate it even more. It’s definitely one of our favourite parts of the album.

Midnight Zoo explores themes of addiction and breaking the dependency on whatever finds you growling in the mornings or feeling less of yourself. As it was the first track recorded on the album, it holds a deep place in our heart and stands as the turning point in the music we wanted to make and release as the new era of DICE.

Previously named Grapes, this song was one of the first we wrote and recorded. One of our fondest memories of recording the album was when Ben did the vocals for Midnight Zoo and Someday. It was a full moon; everybody was down in the studio cracking open beers and we all huddled around and listened to the five songs we had recorded so far. That was the first time we heard the album.

Storms holds a lot of emotion and conveys the biggest message of any of our tracks. As four young guys, we've seen and experienced the tough battles of mental health, particularly in young men. Movements such as RUOK and 20Talk have provided much needed platforms to provide and convey the message that it's okay to talk, it's okay to cry and it's okay to seek help. With this song, we wanted to add our voice to this conversation and convey the message that it's alright to express your emotions and that there are organisations like these that will always support you. As the song states, “Blue trees are saying hi”.

Storms was never a song we really considered to be on the album. It was this short song with just Ben on keys and no real place. It was only when we brought in strings on one of the final days that it completely transformed this song and gave this breath of fresh air that we needed for the album. It’s crazy to think it could have stayed as a voice memo, but ended up being the perfect ending to the experience.

Midnight Zoo by DICE is out now via Tone City Records. You can buy/listen to the album, and find tickets to their world tour here.