ALBUM: Dizzy – ‘The Sun and Her Scorch’

Canadian quartet Dizzy bring candid tales of lost love, introspection and acceptance on their sophomore album, The Sun and Her Scorch. The four-piece – consisting of vocalist Katie Munshaw and instrumentalists Alex, Mackenzie and Charlie – showcase an impressive sonic duality on their latest record as they move away from raw chaos and frustrated buzz of their debut album Baby Teeth, in to the mellow simplicity and resigned reality checks that come with growing up.

Opening with the haunting, hazy soundscape of ‘Worms’, Dizzy immediately draw you in with unassuming intrigue, as Munshaw’s dreamy vocal delivery blends with smooth guitar-led instrumentals. The track paints a vivid picture of the band’s childhood in Oshawa, Ontario, before following track ‘Sunflower’ ejects the album out of the nostalgic setting with its deceptively vibrant sonics. Where ‘Sunflower’ echoes the central theme of youthful uncertainty, indie anthem ‘The Magician’ charms with its effortlessly upbeat candescence.

The stand-out offering is the lyrically nuanced and delicately melodic ‘Good and Right’, which establishes the songwriting and storytelling prowess of Dizzy. It’s a skill they employ in other tracks, including the expansive yet immersive ‘Roman Candles’ and the light, cosy setup of Daylight Savings Time’.

Whimsical and experimental, the album offsets chirpy vocals of tracks like ‘Good and Right’ with straight-edged break-up tune ‘Lefty’, and atmospheric, pop-tinged ballad ‘Primrose Hill’ to an impressive effect that speaks of the fickle nature of 20-something dreamers. Perfectly book-ending the nostalgia of the opener, with final track ‘Worms II’ the band inject a last bit of colour and vibrancy with its changed lyricism, but leaves the soundscape unscathed as the tight grasp of times past remain.

Overall, The Sun and Her Scorch is a collection of anxious musings, candid observations and heartfelt contemplations, sprinkled occasionally with much-needed mirth and good vibes. This is an alt-pop production with lots of substance and little bit of simplicity, and with their second record Dizzy have proved that the impact of their first was no fluke.

Order your copy of Dizzy’s new album here.
Follow the band on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Pooneh Ghana

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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EP: Elsa Hewitt – ‘Ghostcats’

Whatever your mood, electronic artist & producer Elsa Hewitt has a tune to diffuse it. What she achieves through improvisation many would struggle to create with the most calculated intentions and her dizzying blend of looped synths & vocals on new EP Ghostcats beautifully showcases her intuitive talent.

Described by Hewitt as an “opener” for her next release Lupa (due later this year), Ghostcats is a collection of minimal electronic compositions that have a soothing, almost translucent quality to them. Filled with celestial looping vocal harmonies, the ambient ‘Godly’ opens the EP, followed by the equally ethereal ‘Massive Charade’. It meanders in to brief but beautiful tracks ‘Wave State’ and ‘Mounting Up’. On each of her tracks, Hewitt’s breathy vocals and spacious synthesizers merge together to create a soothing, fuzzy atmosphere reminiscent of a lucid dream.

There’s a pleasantly jarring quality to tracks ‘Still’, ‘Kevlar’ and ‘Easy’, whilst ‘Raspberry’ is sweet and breezy. On ‘Velvet Scrunchy’, it feels like Hewitt is toying with the soft accessory the track is named after; gently opening and closing her palm around the garment. The twinkling sound of ‘Rebird’ closes the EP, which from the opening loop provides a soothing sonic head rush.

A much needed distraction in these strange times, Elsa Hewitt’s Ghostcats is a blissful electronic offering, designed to leave you reassuringly lightheaded.

 

Buy your limited edition Ghostcats cassette via Bandcamp here.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Liar, Flower – ‘Geiger Counter’

Released via One Little Indian Records, Liar, Flower‘s new album Geiger Counter – the latest project from KatieJane Garside (Daisy Chainsaw, QueenAdreena, Lalleshwari) and Chris Whittingham – is a collection of songs that blend honey-sweet vocals with dreamy, beautifully produced instrumental soundscapes.

Opening track ‘I Am Sundress (She Of Infinite Flowers)’ is a hauntingly beautiful offering that gives way to the hypnotic rock concoction of ‘My Brain Is Lit Like An Airport’. The angry soundscape then transforms into the psychedelic, deconstructed ‘9N-AFE’. Its robotic, glitchy sonics make it a stand-out track on the record.

The rock-tinged stylings of ‘Mud Stars’ juxtaposed with melodic ‘Broken Light’ teases your brain with its varied range. Following track ‘Even The Darkest Clouds’ is an off-kilter banger that uses lacerating guitars and booming beats with raw vocals, throwing Geiger Counter into complete tortured disarray; essentially making it a cacophony of mismatched musicality.

In comparison, next track ‘Blood Berries’ is a slow lullaby with a foreboding touch. The pair’s brilliant production skills are shown off proudly on the post-punk sounding ‘Little Brown Shoes’. The tail end of the record is sunshine after a storm, as the instrumentals begin leaning away from the tinges of gloom, lust and loathing which have remained front and centre for most of the LP.

The sultry, seductive ‘Baby Teeth’ flawlessly blends into the country-tinged ‘Hole In My Hand’, while the light touches of title track ‘Geiger Counter’ provide a simple, yet memorable melody. Final track ‘Doors Locked, Oven’s Off’ is the perfect closer that brings together the darker sounds of the album with its airy corners, ending the record with the strongest instrumentals thus far.

A disorienting combination of loud violence and gentle caresses that keeps listeners on their toes throughout; Geiger Counter is as meditative as it is nightmarish, as mysterious as it is all-knowing. The record grows on you with each track and by the end of it, you’re ready to play it all over again.

Listen to Geiger Counter by Liar, Flower on Spotify

Malvika Padin
@malvika_padin26

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LISTEN: Fears – ‘two_’

**Content Warning: Talk of self harm and mental health issues.**

A poignant meditation on some of her darkest hours, Constance Keane aka Fears has shared her latest single ‘two_’. The experimental pop artist has transformed her struggles with self-harm into a gentle, cathartic new offering, specially commissioned for the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival.

Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week here in the UK & Northern Ireland and Fears is helping to raise awareness of this with the self-directed accompanying video for her track. The visuals feature repurposed footage of Fears and her family, depicting the non-linear path of recovery from trauma. She tenderly confesses in her lyrics “If not for my family / I’d never have healed,” a sentiment that’s reflected in the footage she’s chosen to share.

Two years on from receiving inpatient treatment in a hospital in Dublin, Fears now uses her musical creations as a form of therapy. “Creativity was, and still is, such a huge part of recovery for me,” she explains. “So to be part of a festival showcasing the creativity of people with mental health issues is incredible. I think when it comes to budget cuts for the mental health sector, creative resources are too often the first to go, so it’s great to see a group celebrating the significance of being creative in maintaining positive mental health.”

For many who suffer with mental health issues, the road to recovery requires immense amounts of patience and a huge shift in perspective. Fears extrapolates on this further: “For me, there is no final point where I’ve ‘gotten better’. I am better than I was before, but ‘better’ isn’t a destination. It’s about learning, maintenance and forging trust in myself.”

“It’s important for me to discuss the topic of self harm; it’s something I’ve been trying to figure out how to approach for a while now. I don’t endorse self harm. It’s an unhealthy coping mechanism when you’re distressed; but it’s also incredibly common. Within the improving awareness and discussion around mental health, I feel self harm still carries the weight of secrecy and shame. I have lines on my leg from hurting myself a few years ago. They’re most likely going to be there for a very long time. I want to wear shorts in summer. I’m going to wear shorts in summer.”

Fears’ determination and honesty in the face of adversity makes listening to ‘two_’ all the more poignant and necessary. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues discussed in this post, please reach out to Mind or other mental health charities.

Follow Fears on Spotify & Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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