Album Review: Dizzy - 'Dizzy'
Giving their third helping of sitting and swaying, twirling and whirling indie-laced pop, Canadian outfit Dizzy have come out with their brand new record.
Titled after their own namesake, the group follow on from the stellar sounds of their 2021 EP Separate Places. Coming from this is a new and exciting 12-track album, including a handful of choice cuts presented as singles. The beginning of this album promotion was the unveiling of the single 'Barking Dog'. Appearing nearer the end of the track listing, it's a different kind of lull in the lo-fi-adjacent record; not in the misplaced and streak-breaking way. More in a way that it additionally softens the moment where one would need it. A rest stop rather than an instant halt. A three-minute track capturing pain and exhaustion, explaining how not even a dog can be stopped from barking when in pain. Vocalist Kate Munshaw welcomes the expression of hurt and sadness after trying to suppress it and keep it hidden; a healthy lesson for all the world to learn and is a good practice to partake in once it begins. The mellow nature of the song matches the theme so well - not a common synchronisation that is found within indie music spaces - and would be a fascinating break within a live performance. Sometimes all one needs is a voice and a guitar, and that's exactly what 'Barking Dog' formulates with.
The record opens with the single 'Birthmark'. The track tells of the difference between mental wellness between daylight and nightfall: how the days are too bright to feel down and look back on memories, but the nights are lonely and cold and bring every mistake back to the forefront of one's mind. The overall themes for Dizzy are those of both feeling the aches and pains of the past while also working through it to become a better person as time passes, which is something all people in the world can relate to or at least aim for.
No one wants to remain pained or yearning for places or people of the past, however processing and moving on takes its own time. It's easy for some, it's not so much for others. There is no set time on how to go about one's thoughts and feelings and Dizzy have put into lyrics what some may even struggle to put into words. That is deeply emotional songwriting and should be a testament to how personal and honest they become when it comes to their art.
There is a macabre-like beauty in the passion of 'My Girl'. A love song of imbalanced viewpoints, Munshaw sings praise for her object of love and obsession while bringing herself down. Labeling herself "a monster you're choosing to believe in" as the song closes, she admits she will be with "[her] girl" until the end of the world is upon them. The skies fall, the streets flood, and there is still a dedication deep in the heart.
Choosing these low-toned mellow sounds work best when it comes to both extremes of the heart: full to the brim with love, and emptied to the very last drop. Life will fluctuate between these two extremities for many people and for these topics to be displayed so clearly with a soft indie instrumental accompaniment, it draws attention to the words and the verses. The listener takes every syllable in through the ears, the mind, the heart and the soul. No one is ever alone in this crazy world, whether they believe it or not, and Dizzy have made a record to give everyone that encouragement that everything they are feeling is normal, valid, and if it's negative, only temporary.
Take a seat, open all eyes and all ears, and be proud of the imbalance of life. Dizzy is the new stability.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
