Review of Dossers' EP 'What’s The Problem?'
There’s something raw and real about What’s The Problem?, the new five-track EP from Middlesbrough’s own Dossers. It doesn’t just play, it rages, whispers, questions, and sometimes even begs. Think of it as a late-night conversation you never meant to have, but one that leaves you rattled and a little bit alive.
The EP hits you hard and fast. “Golden Boy” kicks off with big, meaty guitars and a sense of cheek, even a cheeky surprise nod to RuPaul. The lyrics carry a dark humour, but they’re laced with sharp edges. There’s anger here, frustration, a call for respect that feels long overdue. By the time the track snaps to its abrupt, no-nonsense finish, you realise this isn’t about indulgence, it’s a demand; don’t underestimate her, don’t cross the line.
If “Golden Boy” sets the tone, “Easy” digs deeper. The drums stomp like tribal summons, guitars building layers like tension in the throat. It feels like a battle cry, or maybe a confession. There’s talk of crawling, disorder, rebirth, a restless inner shifting of shapes. The whole sound switches from coarse and heavy to quiet and vulnerable, giving space to breathe before the next dive. It’s a song about duality; wanting to be “easy,” wanting to belong, but knowing that between love and acceptance lies a tightrope over conflicting choices.
Here, Dossers trade the personal for the collective. “Nest Egg” smells like stale expectations, suffocating prescriptions, small town cages. The track is a middle finger to “this is how we’ve always done it,” to “this is how you ought to be.” It’s a stripped-down, pissed-off rejection of every laid-out plan and every closed door. No glitter, no glamour, just gritty, honest rebellion.
The title track is the EP’s beating heart. Heavy guitar, bold drums, a melody that lands like a hammer. Yet there’s irony too. A bitter “have a nice day” thrown at images of ivory towers and empty wallets. It questions the world. Why chase a life someone else scripted? Why accept values built on cash, on indifference, on arrogance? It’s not just protest, it’s disillusionment. And somehow, it feels necessary.
Closing the EP with feathers and scars, “116 123” begins with echoing guitar and distant keys, drawing you into a space heavier than air. The vocals are raw, haunted, a whispered “I’m fine” drowning under all that’s unsaid. Is it heartache? Loss? Despair? Maybe all of it. The vibe leans grunge-dirty, a little like early ’90s rock heartbreak, a numb plea hidden behind noise and distortion. And in its selfish quietness, it hits hardest.
What’s The Problem? isn’t polite. It doesn’t offer comfort. It doesn’t wait for applause. What it does, though, and what it does really well, is speak out. It rips through clichés, rages against the comfortable, demands respect for those tired of being talked over.
Dossers don’t ask for your silence or your admiration. They ask for your attention, in song, in words, in silence.
If you crave punk grit, working-class rage, and moments of hurt beauty, with licks of Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Big Special, this EP will bruise you a little; in a good way.
9th December 2025