Cheridomingo’s “Sleep (Underground)” And The Anthemic Affliction Of A Life Yet To Live
Written by: Jaylyn Khatthavong
In our childhoods, we are often foretold of the true freedom we will experience as we get older: the freedom to eat what we choose, purchase the items we want without permission, and go where we want to. For many, as we get older we come to the enlightenment of just how far from the truth those statements can be on the arduous journey of comprehending the true essence of what a life well lived is, to be alive free from apprehension. Cheridomingo, a four member band explore this desolating feeling in “Sleep (Underground),” their anticipated single set to release on October 27th, 2026. The band, brought up from Ventura County, California are an alternative rock forward group of close friends that have formed a relationship of solemn self-introspection with outward energy, independently building their career from their diverse catalog such as their breakout track, “Drugs.” They have now come to be known for their raw authenticity in their music and their live stage presence, performing at sold-out shows at commendable venues such as The Troubadour, sharing the stage with acts Movements and Badflower.Having made music together since high school, the group have led forward into a revised sense of confidence only sourced from years of hard work to release “Sleep (Underground),” a single of hypnotic experimentation and an emblem of their growth.
In our transition from adolescence to adulthood, it is met abruptly with little warning, just as the opening instrumental of the single, we are thrown into the ant mill and challenged by what to become, “Cause some things are never taught to us/And now/Time’s running out/Can I still turn it around?” It induces fear of making the wrong choice, not knowing which path to take or being conditioned to follow a specific one. Every thought and decision is weighted: when we believed we could eat what we want to or buy items we wished for as a child, we think monetarily or implications of those actions, and the wings we were promised are clipped along the lines of crippling conflictions of life. We begin to determine our true freedom was carried within the shameless ambition we had as kids, where we didn’t think twice if we wanted to play or ask for something. When we were allowed a space to dream, we simply lived with no secondary consciousness we gradually obtain along the years. We become lost, emotionally distraught, “Why do I feel/Like I hate everything about myself,” and are accustomed to a pattern of isolation in our inner psyche that produces a physical and mental loneliness in response. We can be told, shown, but there is no way to possess confidence, self-worth, vulnerability without learning it ourselves.
In this condition, time slips away as Cheridomingo expresses, and as time goes on, there is a grievance of a life lost to fear of living, we are overridden with anxiety and depression, “And now/Time’s running out/I spent my twenties/Underneath the ground/Inside my house/Can I still turn it around?” Feeling, envisioning the true extent of who you could have been produces a sorrowful sense of self-loathing, an emotion “Sleep (Underground)” presents in the dynamic movement between from strong melodic vocals to a softer, cathartic and intimate tone that encapsulates the complexing intensity of loneliness. The single embodies the notes of various forms of rock the band participates in, inviting listeners to experience the diversity of their sound and discography. The band invites the listeners as well to the realization that in this reflection resides the opportunity to change and evolve, when we cannot recognize ourselves it can also be a symbol of growth closer to who we wish to become.
Cheridomingo outlines an era with “Sleep (Underground)” and details the anguish of missed chances in life amid ailing anxiety. With indie-rock, pop-punk, and alternative influences, the single ties the thread of origin and evolution for Cheridomingo as they forge their entrance on a new journey. In a space of resonation the single grants its listeners facing similar hardships, the band offers an anthemic sense of solace in a world that prefers you to fall into line. Life may be overridden with struggles that make us cower in its presence, however Cheridomingo is the source of community needed to uplift those in this plight. “Sleep (Underground)” is the cry for change from the harrowing sense of life passing you by. We at STREET GRRRL thank Cheridomingo for the opportunity to cover the upcoming release and encourage others to check out the track on October 27th.
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