Dori Konya and Lucas Kellar perform together in Poledo, a loud post-punk/hardcore project named after the Dinosaur Jr. track. Around this time, Lucas establishes connections with an Arkansas-based midwest emo band named Dover, sparking the vision to form a “Dover UK” with a distinct focus on British country rock elements.

Lucas and Dori cross paths with drummer Caspar Cole at a mutually organized jam session. Forming a raw, pure indie-rock trio, they hit London’s grassroots venue circuit. They play their inaugural gig at Dingwalls 2, introducing audiences to original tracks like “They Will Grow,” “Cytokines,” “The Curb,” and “Mitch.”

Following a heavy run of London gigs, original drummer Caspar Cole departs. Indie contemporary Fynn Gill, originally a guitarist, steps behind the kit as Dover’s new drummer. Shaking off the stagnant templates of contemporary London indie music, the band decides to fundamentally reinvent their sound.

The band assumes the self-defined genre of “twee prog.” This style thrives on a newfound theatrical eclecticism, combining the unusual time signatures and ambitious structures of progressive rock with the quaint, diligent songwriting structures of twee pop (inspired by Belle and Sebastian).

To bring their complex new instrumentation to life, Dover searches local indie circles. They recruit experimental guitarist Harry Haley and keyboard player Sophie Carpenter from the pop-rock band Chauffeur, and violinist Sarina. This solidifies the five-piece lineup that now commands legendary London grassroots spaces like The Half Moon and Dingwalls.