Using only a scavenged MIDI keyboard and sounds plundered from a wide swath of archaic media (90’s sampler CDs, 80s VHS docs, 70s student films) musician Jonathan Orr creates startlingly accomplished slabs of thick, lo-fi electro that shimmer and pounce like nothing else on the Vancouver scene. As on his previous release (2023's 'Bulk Order') the spiritual template here is the early unreleased tapes of Scotland’s Boards of Canada, particularly the twin holy grails of 'A Few Old Tunes Vol 1 & II', but this time around things feel noticeably weirder and more destabilized, as if that template were cracking apart under the weight of older, less definable influences. The title of the album is taken from the Gospel According to Thomas: “Give not that which is holy to dogs, in case they throw it onto the dunghill.” Reading the text on the verge of sleep, Orr had mistakenly understood it as pertaining not to ‘holy things,' but instead to things which were specifically ‘holy to dogs.’ What would such things be? Orr pictured a shrine of objects not valued by the world; garbage, refuse, decay, the discarded. Things forgotten or only half-remembered, like the rusted bones of ancient cities or the clips of dead media entombed on his hard drive. 'Holy to Dogs' charts a weaving course through this narcoleptic vision, from the bright epiphany of ‘Petroglyph Park’ to the blackened repetition of ‘Roman Concrete’, the eerie momentum of ‘Split Foot,’ and the rhythmic hypnosis of ‘Far Speak’; each track building on the last in a series of audio snapshots of lost worlds, forgotten rituals, and discarded histories. An absolutely essential release from one of Vancouver’s brightest (and darkest) lights.
Release date:
December 6, 2024
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
R.J.F. Cleaning Out the Empty Administration Building
Dais
August 15, 2025 -
White Reaper Only Slightly Empty
Blue Grape Music
September 26, 2025 -
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Gush
Nettwerk Records
September 12, 2025 -
Anand Wilder Psychic Lessons
Last Gang Records
August 22, 2025 -
BABYMETAL METAL FORTH
Capitol
August 8, 2025 -
John Maus Later Than You Think
Young
September 26, 2025 -
Olivia Dean The Art Of Loving
Island
September 26, 2025 -
Rise Against Ricochet (Canary Yello; Amazon Exclusive) [2xLP]
Loma Vista Recordings
September 12, 2025 -
The Vintage Caravan Portals [2xLP]
Napalm Records
September 26, 2025 -
Pot-Pot Warsaw 480Km (Red)
Felte Records
September 19, 2025 -
Astral Doors Testament of Rock; The Best of Astral Doors (Mint Green) [2xLP]
Metalville
August 29, 2025 -
Steve Gunn Music For Writers (Opaque Orange)
Three Lobed Recordings
August 15, 2025 -
Somerset Thrower Take Only What You Need to Survive (Half Clear/ Half Neon Pink with Neon Pink Splatter)
Smartpunk Records
August 8, 2025 -
James Yorkston Songs for Nina and Johanna
Domino Record Co
August 22, 2025