Macula Dog

Hailing from Queens in New York City, the peculiar and artistic ensemble known as Macula Dog crafts a form of twisted, avant-garde pop that evokes the eccentric styles of the Residents alongside Devo. Identifying as a "four-person electronic duo," the outfit consists of Mark Brothers, whose real name is Mark Matthews, and Bruce Brothers, actually Ben Mendelewicz, who take the stage with mannequins named Matt Brothers and Ben Brothers affixed to their backs. Their output, such as the 2016 album Why Do You Look Like Your Dog?, incorporates distorted MIDI sounds, jumbled singing, and unconventional structures, resulting in an aesthetic that matches the vibrant chaos of their live shows and visual works. Originally from Florida, the two had put out individual works via their Haord Records imprint based in New York prior to uniting for Macula Dog performances beginning in the first months of 2014. They took to stages at alternative spots across the metropolis and later along the eastern seaboard, while also securing spots on local cable broadcasts and supplying tracks for Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. Haord issued their debut self-titled tape in 2015, followed by the Wharf Cat full-length Why Do You Look Like Your Dog? the next year. Natural Dog, yet another cassette for Haord, emerged in 2017. Following a brief hiatus, the group resurfaced during 2020 with a vinyl edition of the self-titled recording and the four-track Breezy EP.