Music Spotlight: Dizzy

Dream pop band Dizzy is teasing their sophomore album The Sun and Her Scorch with their latest tracks The Magician + Sunflower, along with an accompanying video for The Magician created from isolation. The band, composed of vocalist Katie Munshaw, drummer Charlie Spencer and his siblings guitarist Alex + bassist Mackenzie, invades our ears with their refreshingly lively sound + emotive vocals—reminiscent of Maggie Rogers. Self described as “pop for emos”, Dizzy’s latest releases are proving to be our favorite new music discoveries of quarantine. Plus, longtime Asymmetric favorite MUNA released a whimsical remix of Sunflower that we can’t stop dancing to. We caught up with Katie to chat about the tracks + what we can except to hear on The Sun and Her Scorch—out July 31st.

photo by Pooneh Ghana

Asymmetric Magazine: Congrats on your most recent release! Can you tell us all about The Magician and Sunflower?
Katie Munshaw: Both songs are based around characteristics about myself that I have a hard time admitting. Sunflower is self-hatred and doubt and wanting to snap out of that feeling. The Magician is naivety and the way I dwell on grief.

AM: How do these songs compare to your previous work?
KM: Lyrically, these stories show a sense of self-awareness that I never addressed on previous songs where I think my narration ended up a little bias. Sonically, these songs are a lot more organic. Where our past work was mostly electronic, we wanted to introduce new textures into the new record—live drums, acoustic guitars, piano. That thought process stemmed from a sense of curiosity about how those things would mix with our storytelling and if we could tap into something new emotionally.

AM: You just announced your sophomore album The Sun and Her Scorch out July 31st; is there anything you can tell us about the album and the creation process?
KM: In July of 2019, we rented a cottage up in northern Ontario to write in. We set our gear up in the living room and just jammed for a week straight. We ended up writing almost half the album there. It was such a rad way to write—nonstop except breaking for kayak rides and campfires. We ended up recording most of the album in the fall in an old church studio in Montreal called Mechanicland. We took it home to record most vocals and really dig into the production side of the process.

AM: What song from the new album are you most excited for fans to hear?
KM: I’m most proud of two songs. Roman Candles and Ten. Both were written in large part at the cottage and were no brainers production wise. Production can be such a puzzle-piece process trying to crack the code of what each song needs, but I think there’s something to be said for songs that just figure themselves out.

AM: Are there any consistent themes you typically pursue through your music?
KM: For The Sun and Her Scorch, I really focus on myself and how my actions affect the people around me. I think a lot of the songs read like love or heartbreak songs, but almost none of them are about romantic love and are actually about how I consistently break my own heart. I like that ambiguity, though.

a lot of the songs read like love or heartbreak songs, but almost none of them are about romantic love and are actually about how I consistently break my own heart.

AM: For first time listeners, how do you like to describe your sound?
KM: I like to think we’re pop for emos.

AM: What other musicians are you currently listening to? What are some top tracks you're into right now?
KM: I’ve been having a rough go with this pandemic and have found my brain wants to listen to music that makes me feel comfortable and like a little kid again. So, I’m listening to what my teenage self listened to. Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift, Regina Spektor. More recent artists that also do the trick for me in isolation are Alvvays, The Beths, Caroline Polachek, and Christine and the Queens.

AM: Where is one place that you feel completely in touch with your creative self and your music?
KM: I wish I knew. I'm a lazy writer and often scramble to finish lyrics the day I have to track them. Which is funny because I’m also picky as hell with which words I choose. As a band, I think our work is strongest when we're all in the same room when the initial stages of a song are created. We bounce off of each other's ideas really well and have honed in on a system that feels comfortable and totally in tune with each other. 

AM: What is something that inspires you outside of music?
KM: I’m inspired by people and their relationships with one another. If I ever feel drained creatively, I like to assess why people do and say the things they do. Maybe that sounds a little serial killer-y and might make me a chronic over thinker, but I don’t think anyone has much else to go on except for how and why we all live and blend together the way we do.

AM: We can’t wait for the new album! What’s next after these releases?
KM: The Sun and Her Scorch will be released on July 31st, but there will be a few more singles before then. We are so so proud of this collection of songs. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what we’ve been working on. 

// listen to The Magician + Sunflower:

Listen to more Dizzy on Spotify.