Big Dipper (Album 2025)
Scott Evil
Post-shoegaze
On my way to work on a hazy gray early spring morning, taints of sun rays came through the clouds. An ethereal journey enhanced by the hazy guitars and reverberated voices of Scott Evil’s new album, Big Dipper.
Those bass lines seemed to mark the crosswalks to the beat of each passerby. Have you ever had the sensation of being in a music video yourself while listening to a song? Well, that was my impression but during the whole album.
The power to embrace one’s eardrums with catchy rhythms, dreamy voices, and riffs is mesmerizing.
“Circles” is the first single from the album, released this Thursday, the 5th of June. From the beginning, it has got my attention. Maybe I found myself in it as I tend to be rapt by my own thoughts.
Suddenly, the transition via the bassline to “Cop Cab” blew my mind. Without hesitation, I decided to write this review. A subtle crossfade between both songs would have worked perfectly.
Followed by “Cheezy” and its dream-pop guitars, which more than cheesy I would say are corny. It has a simple and lovely sound that embraces the mind. Like that comfort zone you put yourself in to avoid the outside craziness.
“Red to Grey” then starts with a solemn and serious stance, that breaks the daydream and leads to a slow awakening, a steady bass line and the crescendo of the ambient do the work. On my trip to the office, “Barbed Wire” started playing the moment I arrived at The Ring, a busy avenue particularly at peak hours, rushing people to the metro, cars, and trucks on every way. This combo, from “Red to Grey” to “Barbed Wire” pumped in me the energy needed to get me out of my cave to the office. The screaming almost prayer to be left alone resonated in me. The walk through losing something(one) until wanting to be by yourself.
Almost poetically, the title “Seize my Head” made me chuckle, as all I need each morning is that. Yet, here I was, on my way to being a functional human adult being. Beyond the life frustration of being awakened early, the grunge guitar bridge with tints of shoegaze in “Happening Again” brought me back to the album. I was enjoying the whole journey independently of what drove me out of bed. This album is pleasant listening.
Continuing with the grungy vibe, rough and raw attitude. “St94” presents a crude but honest sound domain. [Felt cute but should have been stronger]. “Redwoods“, on the other hand, presents the smooth side of the band with its particular ambient built with distorted guitars and a steady bass. Almost felt like a closing song, a goodbye that didn’t actually come.
Then, “Pizzazz“, the second single before the album release, blasted my mind with its fun intro. The punk rock guitar bridge between verses sounded close to home, [I think your attitude is cool. ~~ I’ll make a mixtape for you…] The lyrics reminded me of simpler times when making mixtapes for a crush was a big deal, something that maybe an online playlist would never be able to capture in its entirety.
“Daughter of the Sun” closes the album with a warm farewell. Smooth enough to ease your weary bones, give closure to a fun trip through nostalgia, angst, and even burnout. A journey that felt like losing and finding oneself between ruminating thoughts and lost & found friendships, from refusal to grow to face the current times.
Overall, Big Dipper was (is) an album I enjoyed a lot. Probably it just came at the right time at the right place, we would never know. It simply caught my attention from the first single, Circles and it didn’t let me go. As an album it sounds more cohesive in comparison to the stand-alone EPs, with a better defined personal style, embracing the band’s vibe/influences to bring their own sound, and thus create an eclectic personality of what I would describe as post-shoegaze.
The artwork of Big Dipper was made by Julia Walerus & Philipp Koronoskwi, bass and drums respectively. And you can get your physical copy from their labels Spinda Records (sent from Spain) or Backpack Records (sent from Norway).
