ALBUM REVIEW: Bria Salmena – Big Dog

Sub Pop

Released 28.3.25

Bria Salmena’s Big Dog is a raw, immersive debut that chronicles transformation through resilience and collaboration. Best known as the frontwoman of FRIGS and a vocalist in Orville Peck’s band, Salmena steps into her own with commanding intensity. Her voice is ethereal and visceral and anchors a soundscape blending hypnotic krautrock, shimmering shoegaze, and pulsing darkwave. Co-created with longtime collaborator Duncan Hay Jennings, the album’s emotional depth shines through tracks like the haunting Twilight and the brooding Stretch the Struggle. With contributions from Lee Ranaldo and production input from Graham Walsh and Meg Remy, Big Dog is as intimate as it is expansive. At its core, it’s a testament to vulnerability, community, and stepping fully into one’s power.