A dream-pop fan’s dream come true

Bizou has delivered once again, this time with the hypnotizing sound of their first full-length album, Tragic Lover. The LP was released earlier this month, on June 4th. It’s made up of nine tracks and runs about 30 minutes all the way through. 

Comprised of big-name alternative rockers such as Nicole Fiorentino (The Smashing Pumpkins, Veruca Salt), Marisa Prietto (Wax Idols), Nicki Nevlin (Light FM), Josiah Mazzaschi (Light FM) and with drums by John O’Reilly Jr. (Boomcrashdrumtracks.com) on this album, Bizou is quickly establishing themselves as a powerhouse alternative band. The band has even been referred to as a “super group” by post-punk.com. Described on Bandcamp’s website as a fusion of “driving post-punk bass, wall of sheeny shoegaze guitars, shifting scales of synths and the propulsive rhythms of darkwave,” Bizou captures the sound one would imagine the band Garbage would have if they decided to try out dream-pop.

The album opens with “Days of Honey,” a track that kicks the project off to an energetic start. The song has an electro-gothic, slightly chaotic feel to it and features a fuzzy guitar riff, a synth line that makes one nostalgic for the ’80s and the haunting sound of vocalist Marisa Prietto to top it all off.

The title track, “Tragic Lover,” so cleverly captures the essence of the band. The verse features an airy guitar riff and a commanding bassline, only to be followed by the heavy noise of shoegaze in the chorus. The bridge then puts the finishing touches on the song, showcasing their diverse range of sound with a psychedelic wave that washes over the listener. 

“Glass Lips” is another stunning track off this record. It includes all their signature pieces: playful synths, a heavy bass line, lots of reverb and even a hint of surf-rock in the guitar riff. This track is another Bizou staple that meshes together all the elements that make the shoegaze and dream-pop genres so entrancing. 

“Wanted Not Wanted” is noticeable for its anthemic sound. It opens with an intensity, featuring a choppy guitar which is quickly joined by a synth riff that sounds like something off of a Naked and Famous record. After the intro, the song calms down a bit to be just a simple drum beat, a smooth bassline and Prietto’s mellow vocals. The song contains various tones and textures and continues to wax and wane in intensity, which takes the listener on quite a ride.

The final track on the record, “Fascination,” has that same ethereal yet dark quality to it that the rest of the album has. The verse feels almost bubbly but with a layered melancholy to top it off. The bridge has an easy flow to it, which perfectly contrasts the cutting power of the rest of the song. The song finishes on another striking, heavy bassline which feels like the band saying goodbye to the listener as the album comes to a close. It’s another instant hit for the band and the perfect song to close out this project.

Bizou clearly came onto the music scene with guns blazing, and their latest release, Tragic Lover, is a surefire sign the band is not slowing down anytime soon. Their ability to blend and sway between various genres gives them a distinct edge and seems to give an answer to the question, “what if the Cocteau Twins went goth again?”