DOMINA: Between Shadows and Static

With their debut EP Caught Up In The Corner, Nottingham trio Domina have crafted a world that’s as enigmatic as it is immersive — a hazy blend of synth-pop, minimal electronica, and cinematic abstraction. Recorded entirely by the band themselves, the EP drifts between dreamlike melodies and textured atmospheres, blurring the boundaries between sound and vision. Ahead of their next live show — complete with vintage video installations — Domina spoke with us about building their sonic universe, embracing ambiguity, and finding their identity in the in-between.

1. Caught Up In The Corner feels like a world unto itself — shadowy, dreamlike, and full of texture. What ideas or moods were you hoping to capture when creating this debut EP?

We record everything ourselves, so along with the melodies and lyrics we love trying different ways to create ambiance for our songs. Usually, we like to record the sound of the room when amplifying synthesisers or guitar to help us feel closer to our live sound. I don’t think we necessarily had a mood we were aiming for but more of a first impression and introduction to our world.

2. You’ve described the EP as “existing in ambiguity.” How does that sense of uncertainty or in-betweenness shape the way you write, record, or even perform your music?

The writing style we seem to be drawn to does feel detached from a focused narrative or song form. It’s quite minimalistic and childlike. Not everything has to go somewhere or have a reason.

3. The record moves between late-’80s synth-pop, minimal electronica, and something much more abstract. How do you approach blending eras and genres without losing your own identity as a band?

Our love of bands like Broadcast, Antenna, and EYE have influenced our sound a lot, especially with their approaches to performing with live drum machines and electronics. ⁠I think it’s easy for us to blend as the 3 of us are quite different with our tastes and influences. It feels very natural for that blend to be a part of our identity.

4. Domina’s music has a strong visual and cinematic feel — and you’re incorporating moving image installations into your EP launch. How important is the visual side of your work, and how does it interact with the music?

Along with our analogue synths and organs we’ve hoarded a bunch of vintage video equipment which we display at our shows when we can. I guess vision is a pretty substantial aspect of the human experience which we wanted to address in our act. The past two launch gigs we’ve done visuals for were rooted in white and then black. Next time we want to try incorporating colour - watch this space.

5. From your early singles to shows with YHWH Nailgun, Rocket, and Do Nothing, you’ve built a real sense of momentum. What have you learned about yourselves as artists through this first phase, and where do you want Domina to go next?

These artists have all been super kind to us - it's been crazy showing our music to audiences of people we don't recognise and we’ve learnt a lot about what we want our direction to be.