Jack Hickey
review, music
September 19, 2026
.png)
Featuring vibrant soundscapes that seamlessly shift from rich orchestration into quiet, intimate moments, MARSHMALLOW exemplifies what occurs when artists create purely for themselves. In an era where vulnerability can be rare in hip-hop, this project offers a refreshing blend of cinematic storytelling and raw self-reflection.
Conceived as a time-traveling concept rap album, MARSHMALLOW centers on DOBBY’s journey to reconnect with his inner child. The project weaves together themes of mental health, willpower, and artistic evolution, drawing inspiration from his unreleased 2009 project The Royal Flame as well as the famous Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. Conducted by Walter Mischel at Stanford University in the 1970s, this study on delayed gratification offered young children a choice between an immediate small reward or waiting 15 minutes to receive two rewards — a test whose long-term findings linked self-control to future academic and personal outcomes (modern re-evaluations show that the outcomes of the experiment depended heavily on family income and social background: being able to wait longer reflects a child's environmental security rather than willpower alone).Through the lens of this experiment, DOBBY chronicles ten years of introspection, hesitation, and self-discovery.
On MARSHMALLOW, DOBBY joined forces with record producer, composer, and songwriter Tony Buchen, who's worked with the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins, Montaigne and John Butler Trio in the past. The partnership has given the album beautiful sonic offerings, like environmental soundscapes and rich instrument timbre choices layered throughout In his STAUNCH. interview, DOBBY said working with Tony completely shifted his approach to the MARSHMALLOW.
At the core of the record lies a compelling question: if patience yields greater rewards, what does the marshmallow represent? Is it professional success, self-worth, or personal fulfillment? Rather than providing easy answers, DOBBY turns the mirror back onto the audience. He invites listeners to navigate their own uncomfortable memories and insecurities to determine what their personal reward is, and whether they possess the patience required to attain it.
This album follows on from DOBBY’S acclaimed debut, WARRANGU; River Story — a profound sonic exploration of Indigenous land rights and environmental justice. The debut album earned the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album, was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, and received Album of the Week honors across fbi.radio, Double J, and 2SER. Additionally, its second single, ‘Ancestor’ was the most played track on fbi.radio in 2024.
The album begins with excerpts from a conversation about self control and the willpower that grows from exercising it. Underneath the yarn, we are met with a racing orchestral arrangement that feels like a manic rollercoaster. Tremolo strings, muted glockenspiel and some mighty brass hits fill up the lower end. Immediately setting the tone for DOBBY’s unique sound that fuses classical and hip-hop. This opening verse is a declaration of standing in his own power and self awareness. Then, children from a range of different ages and backgrounds introduce themselves like the commencement of an experiment. Flowing right into track two.
Which is what we hear after the children make their introductions. “You’re good for nothing.” A powerful and enigmatic way to start this self-interrogating song that forces the audience to pay attention. People aren’t born feeling useless or like there is nothing here for them. That is something that develops over time and through external forces. Dedicated to everyone who has ever doubted or hindered DOBBY (including himself),the track stays true to his signature style and rich sonic palette. The layered, fully realised production blends glockenspiel, piano, bass, live drums, phat synths, and muted trumpet. Paired with confronting lyrics, the song offers an unvarnished reflection on self-conditioning. A reversed cymbal crash creates a time-warp effect, transporting listeners to an archival interview from the early stages of his career.Recorded after he finished work on the unreleased album he made a child, Dobby his second project and directs the audience to find his music on MySpace.com/popcorndobby
This track merges trap beats and driving synths into the mix of this musical gumbo. There’s a mean breakdown in the back end of this track which really makes the subtleties in the production shine. Side chained, washy cymbals, a chant sample, funky horn lines and the drum samples chosen drive this song forward relentlessly. Stirring the idea that thought without action is blind, but action without thought is empty. DOBBY sets his intentions and is here to make moves. He’s here to show our younger Mob that embracing your individuality is necessary and that there’s a future ahead for them. The experiment continues, we hear the same jarjums each answering the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
In this interlude skit, we time-warp once more as DOBBY relives a disastrous school performance and its frustrating aftermath. On his way home, his rumination is interrupted by a glimpse of a guy speeding past his school bus who looks just like himself. Upon arriving at his mother's house, he discovers a CD player out the front. The ambient sounds of chirping birds fade in, leading into an explanation of the marshmallow test.
Meditative piano part, chords moving around one note, muted trumpet. High school kids talking about the pressure of senior years. Dear Rhyan, the track title is literal. Talking to his younger self, DOBBY wonders how to return to himself. He wonders how to escape the anxiety and jealousy of the hustle mindset. And he wonders how he and his younger self might help one another.
Disillusioned upon waking after time-traveling via a CD player time machine, he rapidly relives distinct moments in his life while searching for his younger self. From his high school days to studying music in Wollongong, we are thrust into a high-speed, first-person quest for his old CD. He races through the school grounds, passing his younger self moments before the disastrous assembly performance, then steals a bicycle from the rack to speed toward his mother's house.
In true Back to the Future fashion, the narrative shifts to provide the first-person perspective of the older Rhyan referenced earlier in the album as he journeys into the past with his CD player time machine in search of his original disc.
A track featuring bird sounds, inquisitive plucked strings, and an 808 beat reminiscent of Hamilton. Young Dobz confronts his older, time-traveling self in the front yard, who attempts to explain the grim realities of the future while escalating orchestral music accompanies their conversation, highlighting the different perspectives of his younger and older selves while embarking on a time spiraling search of his first ever album on CD.
This song captures the triumphant moment a germinating seed finally breaks through the dark dirt to reach the warmth of the sunshine, serving as a reminder that adversity often creates the necessary conditions for genuine personal growth. Sonically, it’s a moment of significant musical payoff for this point in the album: a release of tension. The production relies heavily on live instrumentation while still honoring classic hip-hop roots through crisp vinyl scratching and features vocals by Wiradjuri, Gamilaraay, Ngunawal and Walgalu multi-instrumentalist and song woman Dyagula. Deeply rooted in self-discovery, ‘Bright Lights’ finds DOBBY reconnecting with his inner child to reaffirm his core identity and step into renewed self-confidence. It stands as an epic testament to resilience, celebrating how overcoming hardship allows one to fully emerge, flourish, and embrace their authentic strength.
The song begins rooted firmly in the present moment, as ‘OLDER’ reflects on the journey required to arrive at this point while capturing the deep, nostalgic desire for the experience not to end. An anticipated piano groove sets the stage, creating a rich harmonic foundation as Dyagula’s vocals flow seamlessly, like water pouring from a jug. DOBBY joins in, chanting the hook before the drums, wind, and string sections lock in together with the driving that piano line. The chorus expands dramatically, evoking a bright morning sunrise filled with limitless potential. As we progress through the track, the perspective gracefully shifts from the present day to the later stages of life, interrogating what identity means throughout these evolving chapters.
Delving into the journey of overcoming self-sabotage and ingrained conditioning, the track navigates towards mental clarity and liberation. It highlights that intrinsic personal worth remains distinct from industry accolades and external demands. Through its lyrics, the song urges listeners to pause, let go of the surrounding chaos, and halt endless doomscrolling — reaffirming that true self-worth is immaterial and internal. The production seamlessly reinforces this message, balancing introspective verses with expansive string arrangements that create space for reflection. As the track unfolds, it invites the listener to step away from constant digital noise, break free from internalised pressures, and embrace a grounded sense of mental clarity and emotional resilience. The workings of this track are tied together by the pumping 90s house style vocals delivered by Dyagula.
Introductory Wurli keys trickle in, paving the way for bouncing, fast-flowing chords and verse flow. The drums feel like a swung, Dilla or Chris “Daddy” Dave type beat that anchor the melodic instruments and Dyagula’s layered vocals on the hook.
The track offers commentary on the intricate web of individuals comprising society and community, while also examining where First Nations people and POC fit within it. It further explores the unique obstacles and expectations experienced once the spotlight of success shines positive and negative light upon our spaces.
We slowly pull back the pace on this one. It feels like we’re listening to an intimate message to a long lost friend. We are let into a private, vulnerable conversation. Featuring excerpts from an interview with DOBBY’s former Taekwondo instructor Kim Dalton, the track pairs spacious yet driving beats with fluid piano lines, flowing vocal arrangements, and a gentle bassline designed to give the lyrics room to breathe. The first piece of new music DOBBY’s made since WARRANGU; River Story, ‘Kim's Fight’ is a deeply personal homage to Kim.. She was a formidable martial artist chosen to represent Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Herjourney was tragically cut short following a diagnosis of a rare, fatal cancer.
Having trained under Kim during his youth in Warilla to overcome bullying, DOBBY channels her extraordinary work ethic, resilient spirit, and enduring legacy directly into the track. And we feel it. Visuals for the accompanying music video honor her memory with archival footage alongside a skydiving tribute filmed in Wollongong, mirroring Kim’s bold and adventurous nature.
Delving into the psychological barrier of self-sabotage, this song investigates the complex ways we condition ourselves and succumb to internal doubt. Crisp claps and a ticking, clock-like piano riff drop into an epic drum groove dancing between the toms, setting a tense yet driving foundation for the emotive hook sung by Josh Pyke. The track unpacks the mental conflict between ambition and self-limiting beliefs, creating a vivid sonic landscape that balances rhythmic urgency with deep, introspective storytelling.
Exploring personal growth, relationship flaws, and the crucial shift from people-pleasing toward establishing healthy emotional limits, this track examines the necessity of setting personal boundaries.This point in the album is your call to stop pleasing people. Its sonic foundation features a laid-back drum groove paired with a climbing piano motif, anchored by a steady bassline that glues the instrumentation and vocals together.
Serving as an impactful finale for the album, ‘80,000 Storeys’ weaves together core themes of identity, self-reflection, and deep connection. If connection, knowledge, and history were measured as the height of a building, Blak Australia would have the tallest in the world. The track stands as a powerful monument to enduring First Nations sovereignty and an unbreakable archive of living history.
The intro to this epic crashes through with the drums, string and wind section, while bass and piano build into a confident stride of a groove. The instrumentation in this track has a clear confidence and sense of self, creating a sonic landscape that’s at once expansive and grounded. Layered orchestral arrangements lock seamlessly with driving rhythms, allowing the production to echo the weight and elevation of generations of storytelling.
As MARSHMALLOW draws to a close, ‘80,000 Storeys’ leaves the listener with a profound sense of pride, resilience, and forward momentum. It firmly anchors DOBBY's artistic evolution, celebrating bot
Written by Jack Hickey
Share
Recent posts
Navigation
Follow
Legal
Privacy Policy
.png)
.png)