Despite being one of the biggest names in the Indie Music scene, Mac DeMarco decided to share his newest album Dog On The Rock (his second project this year) like any other underground local artists with no big label: handing out CD-Rs on his European tour.
Though DeMarco teased something new was coming in an interview at Paris’ Arte Concert Festival, calling it “Mac’s Secret Album”, this release had no press releases, no big announcement.. Just classic DIY Spirit
“I actually do have a bunch of recordings that I made in between these two tours, and I went to the print shop to make little album sleeves of that yesterday.” DeMarco said. “So maybe there will be another secret album, but one that you can hear this time.”
There’s something charming about the idea that an album can appear like a gift rather than a product. In an era where music is optimized for algorithms and dropped with hyper-orchestrated marketing plans, Mac handing out physical copies (and even taping it to barricade) feels like a classic Mac DeMarco move.
It’s the kind of analogue stunt that makes perfect sense for an artist who built his reputation on lo-fi charm and homemade warmth.
For now, nobody knows if Dog On The Rock will ever hit streaming services or get an official release (and I feel like there’s something special about that uncertainty, no?), but fans have now uploaded the no-longer-secret Dog On The Rock to YouTube. Mac’s Record Label Instagram account also shared a snippet of the music too. It’s about 40 minutes, no polished arrangements or obvious singles. It feels more like a dream you drift in and out of.
